A Splash Of Reality
by LizNinja
Summary: The Host Club was ready to open the window and look out for flying pigs, for what they just learnt sounded impossible. Haruhi liked someone OUTSIDE of the Host club? God help them...to make sure that Punk doesn't get too chummy! -Haruhi/MaleOC-
1. o n e

A/N: The summery isn't in the fanfic. I'd just like to mention that.

A Splash Of Reality

It was a beautiful afternoon at the Ouran Academy.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the students were entertaining themselves someway or another. Being rich had it's impressive and luxurious ups, but the one down was the unusual amount of time they had on their hands. They had no need to clean, cook, or even worry, everything was already done for them. What could be done to occupy themselves?

Easy. School clubs.

From Archery to Tennis, Art to Tea ceremony, the Ouran academy had it all. Anything a student enjoyed could be found somewhere on campus. If a student did not wish to partake within an activity, they could simply wonder about the grounds, admiring the various gardens.

This afternoon was like all others. Most of the female population at retreated to the Host club, desperately seeking attention from a Host club member. _Most_ of the female population that is. The others were either at their own clubs, working on a school project, or wondering the school. The last option had the least amount of numbers, but still, it was enjoyable.

On this normal afternoon, a third year female was wondering about the West building. The sun was gracing her skin through the window and she decided this day would be greater outside. The closest exit was to the heated pool on the roof, from there the view would be quite nicer.

She ascended the staircase, the sun already embracing her through the windows. She timidly opened the door and took a deep breathe. The smell of chlorine and fresh air mixed, refreshing her. Such a calming location when empty.

But…it wasn't completely empty.

"I-is that…AHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Her shrill shriek echoed throughout the school grounds, piercing the few eardrums that were close by. It shocked those who heard it, for a blood curdling scream like that wasn't commonly heard on school grounds.

Haruhi, who happened to be returning from an errand, heard the cry from the third floor of the west building. She could easily tell where it was from and decided to help. Something bad had happened.

Haruhi burst onto the rooftop to immediately see the girl backed up against the wall. She was trembling and only syllables were escaping her lips.

"What's wrong?" Haruhi asked, trying to calm the girl down.

She gaped her mouth but nothing came out, she only pointed to the pool, her arm shaking.

Haruhi followed the girl's finger to see a body floating in the pool, a faint red color encircling the head. She was unmoved by the corpse, probably some guy playing a stupid joke. She stood up and approached the pool. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she exclaimed, "Hey! Are you okay!?"

The body didn't even twitch for the first few seconds. Then it jolted, limbs flailed and it drove underwater, ultimately resurfacing for air. It violently coughed a few times, hitting its chest to get rid of the unwanted water within its lungs.

From complete horror, the on-looking girl fled from the rooftop, leaving only Haruhi and the, now alive, body.

"Are you okay?" Haruhi asked once again.

The guy continued to cough as he trudged over to the side of the pool Haruhi was on. He pulled himself up and lightly shook like a dog to dry himself, he sprinkled Haruhi a tad. "_Sorry_." He mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Haruhi repeated, annoyed she had yet to receive an answer.

"Yeah." He said with a shrug, taking off his jacket. "There's no need to worry." He took off his tie and shirt.

Haruhi's eyes widened, "What are you…?"

She quickly understood when he twirled his clothes together and rung the water out. He whipped them slightly to get the last bits, then shoved them in front of Haruhi. "Would you mind holding these?" He asked.

Haruhi took them timidly, unsure of what he was going to do. He began to unbuckle his belt, and Haruhi only eyed him, "What are you doing?" She questioned, not liking what was going on.

The guy looked at her with a mild realization on his face, "Oh." He said, "Sorry. I was going to ring out my pants, but since you're uncomfortable with it, I guess won't." He shook his head, attempting to dry his air.

"You're bleeding." Haruhi informed, motioning towards his nose.

The guy widened his eyes slightly, and double checked, but besides that did nothing. "Is it bad?" He asked, noticing the faint blood in the pool.

"I guess not." Haruhi said, suspecting the bleeding had died down.

"Then there's no need to worry." He said, taking off his shoes and socks.

As he continued to ring out his possessions, Haruhi noticed that, in fact, there was a need to worry. His nose bleed suddenly returned and was running like a slightly turned faucet. The guy simply wiped it away, thinking it was water.

"Uh, your nose is…" Haruhi attempted to grab his attention, but he seemed to be in train of thought. She sighed as she took out a tissue from her pocket to dab away the blood. The guy looked down at her as she helped him. He smiled, apparently finding the look of dread Haruhi was portraying amusing.

"I'll take my clothes back now." He said once the blood had ceased, arms outstretched. Haruhi handed them to him and he nodded in appreciation. He proceeded to lightly kiss two fingers and tap Haruhi's forehead, catching her off guard. "Thanks." He said with a small smile. He walked around Haruhi and began to leave.

Several thoughts entered the freshman's mind. But the largest ones were, why did he just do that, and how did he even end up in the pool? But her musings were cut off by the sound of a large splash.

Haruhi immediately turned around to see the guy had somehow fallen back into the pool. She waited for him to surface, but he didn't, he had gone unconscious again. Her eyes widened as she rushed over to pull him out before he drowned.

/~\

"Haruhi, where have you been!?"

Haruhi sighed, suspecting to get such a greeting upon returning to the Host club. Unfortunately for her it took her _much_ longer to return for the errand then necessary. The guy, falling into the pool a second time, did not immediately awake like she had hoped. She had given up after a few minutes, disliking the wasted time. She had checked his pulse, checked his breathing, and left, finding him capable of not dying.

"Sorry senpai." Haruhi apologized, "I was helping someone."

"Who?" Tamaki asked.

Haruhi opened her mouth to reply, but then remembered, she never did get his name… "I'm not sure." She answered with a shrug. "Just some guy."

"Some guy!?" Tamaki exclaimed, daddy senses taking over. "Some guy!? What guy!!?"

Haruhi looked at her 'father' and felt slightly ashamed he overreacted so much. She decided not to mention the whole, finger kiss thing. "Just some guy." Haruhi said, "He almost drowned, I had to help him."

Haruhi's statement and lack of concern towards the statement brought on attention from the Host club.

"Someone almost drowned?!" Hunny exclaimed, now worried.

"Almost." Haruhi said, "He's probably better now."

"Probably?" Hikaru and Kaoru questioned simultaneously.

"He was coughing a lot," Haruhi informed, "and he had a nose bleed, but besides that, was okay." She thought back to leaving him alone. Was he really okay? Was he still unconscious?

"What happened to him?" Tamaki asked, confused how nose bleeds and drowning could be connected.

"He didn't say." Haruhi answered, her curiosity growing ever higher.

"He is okay though…" Hunny said, hugging Usa-chan, "Right?"

"Probably." Haruhi shrugged.

Probably…

/~\

Throughout the next three days, there was no word on someone dying on the West building roof.

If anything, Haruhi was more curious then concerned. She wanted to know what happened to the guy. Yes, there are various reasons as to why people get nose bleeds: Too much of a certain smell, heat, infections, blunt force, even allergies. But none of those seem to really connect with drowning. Hell, the two incidents could have been completely unrelated, they just somehow ended up together.

Then the actual drowning part came in view. He definitely wasn't in there purposely. No one at Ouran was cruel enough to beat him and throw his body into a pool to kill him. No one at Ouran even thought that way!

"Earth to Haruhi!" The twins called, snapping the crossdresser back to reality.

"What is it?" Haruhi asked.

"It's time for lunch!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Let's go to the cafeteria!" Kaoru continued.

"I'd rather eat here." Haruhi said, staying her ground.

"Oh come on!" Hikaru and Kaoru encouraged, hooking Haruhi by the arms. "Treat yourself today!"

"Do I really have a choice?" She asked as the twins dragged her out of the classroom.

"Of course not!" They laughed, continuing to pull her to lunch.

Unlike most of the other buildings in Ouran, the cafeteria housed all classes. A through D graced it's presences throughout the lunch period. School employees would kindly serve the students their desired choice from the gourmet menu, then politely bus their trays. It was a calming safety net the rich students enjoyed having.

Haruhi on the other hand, did _not_ enjoy the cafeteria. She had no trouble with crowds, she just didn't like people waiting on her hand and whim. She wasn't dependant like the rest of the Ouran Academy students, she could handle herself. That's why she commonly ate in the classroom where she could quietly read or study. Here it was much too chatty, and with Hikaru and Kaoru, too eventful.

Haruhi was sat down at a table as Hikaru and Kaoru quickly fetched their lunch. She sighed, and unwrapped her bento box. She hoped one of the twins wouldn't beg for a taste like they usual did. She also hoped the rest of the Host club would show up, Tamaki would just add more annoyance to it all.

"Here's two thousand yen, get me some bottled water."

The voice was so close, Haruhi almost thought it was directed to her. But actually, it was directed to a waiter holding some empty trays. She suddenly remembered that voice and recognized the fact it was the guy from the pool. She felt a brief moment of relief.

The waiter accepted the job and hurried through the kitchen doors. The guy wondered over to the other side of Haruhi's table, taking a seat. He tapped his fingers and shifted in his seat, Haruhi could tell he was uncomfortable. Although she was looking at him, he had no idea. He was staring off into the distance.

The waiter then returned with a bottle of water, like requested. The guy took it, but did not dismiss the waiter.

"I'll need more." He said.

"How much sir?" The waiter asked.

"As many as you can carry." The guy said seriously, he passed the employee another two thousand yen. "As fast as you can."

"Yes sir." The waiter said, pocketing the cash, then quickly left.

The guy opened the bottled water greedily and chugged it down in seconds. Haruhi couldn't help but stare. Was he that thirsty? Was he that desperate? He sighed, satisfied, but not completely.

In moments the waiter returned with a tray load of bottled water. The guy smiled triumphantly but quite his voice calm, "Thank you." He said, one by one, taking the bottles. He handed the waiter five thousand yen, "For you."

"_Rich bastards_…" Haruhi mumbled under her breathe. Only a spoiled rich kid would tip a waiter nine thousand yen for getting water.

Once the waiter left, the guy desperately opened the bottles, one by one, and chugged them down. He occasionally stopped for breathe, but continued to drink, frantic. After about six, he slowed down, taking a break.

"Thirsty?" Haruhi asked, sarcasm somewhat intended.

"Unbearably." The guy immediately answered. He glanced at her and double took, his eyes slightly widened at who was sitting just down the table. "Oh." He said, "It's you."

Haruhi's head dropped, he was so considerate. "Thanks for remembering." She said weakly.

"It wasn't difficult." He said, opening another bottle, "To be honest, you're a bit…" He took a sip, not finishing his sentence. "Thanks for the other day." He said, completely forgetting his previous statement. "I'm surprised someone of your wealth would actually get their hands dirty."

"My wealth…?" Haruhi echoed. He didn't know about her?

"Actually…" Hikaru said, butting in, "Haruhi isn't rich."

"He's here on scholarship." Kaoru finished. Haruhi looked at them, she forget they went to get lunch.

"So the school isn't run by bigots…" The guy mumbled to himself, finishing the bottle. "Good I guess…" He forgot he was talking to the three Hosts and zoned back into the conversation. "So you're name's Haruhi?"

"Fujioka." She informed.

"And you two are…?" The guy asked, directed to the Hitachiins.

The twins looked at each other before answering. "Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin." They said simultaneously.

The guy smiled slightly. "_Cute…_" He mumbled under his breathe. "I'm Ichi Azuma." He smirked for some reason as he gulped down more water. "I guess the scholarship explains why you aren't so high strung." Ichi continued. "Most of the other students don't have bentos." He laughed lightly, apparently finding it funny.

"Most other students don't have a dozen water bottles." Hikaru shot, annoyed at how cocky this guy was.

Ichi smirked, and nodded for some reason. He, however, did not reply. "I hope it doesn't rain today…" He mused, looking out the window.

Hikaru and Kaoru felt an unusual hatred for Ichi. He was either smiling smugly, or not listening. He occasionally glanced at Haruhi for some odd reason. Pervert? Maybe…

"How did you end up in the pool?" Haruhi asked, her curiosity now getting the better of her.

"…" Ichi did not reply. He opened another bottle and drank it down as he stalled. "What's it been…?" He questioned, confusing the freshmen Hosts. "Eleven minutes?"

"For what?" Haruhi questioned, lost.

"For how long we've known each other." Ichi replied. "It's been about five minutes here, six at the pool…"

The Hosts didn't understand what he was getting at.

"It could be considered longer…" Ichi continued, "But I was unconscious for as long as you stayed. I wasn't wearing my watch, so an exact time couldn't be said…"

"About my question…?" Haruhi attempted.

"I'll be honest." Ichi said, "It's not like I _don't_ respect you, Hikaru and Kaoru, but, I don't think we're at that level yet. Sure, some people tend to confess their problems on a whim, from desperateness or wanted attention, I don't know. And yes, you're unportrayed charm that seems to be receiving several side glances from an unusual amount of girls in the room leads me to believe people fall at your presence easily. _But_, I'm not going to tell you just because you ask. Even the strangest things can be personal." He stood up, holding the last two bottles in his hands. "If you'll excuse me…" He left.

Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru simply sat there as they watched Ichi leave.

The twins couldn't help but feel offended. They were just lectured by some pompous jerk they just met. What offended them even more was that the lecture was directed to Haruhi. Haruhi! She was the flower of the Host club. The one that needed to be protected from bastards like _him_. How could he just say that with such a calm tone? How could he just lay back and preach like he knew everything? What a bastard. Hikaru and Kaoru should make sure he didn't get any closer to Haruhi.

But actually, Haruhi was quite intrigued by the lecture. Ichi had gotten it right: From her natural charm (or blunt attitude), people seemed to crack easily when she asked them something. That had to be a first. All of her questions were answered, maybe not immediately, but nonetheless, answered. Ichi was quite interesting. He was respectful, yet frank. He didn't seem to offend, but sometimes the truth hurts. Haruhi couldn't help but want to talk to him some more. Most students at Ouran were happy and joyful, they sugar-coated things to make seem better then actuality. Ichi was spacey and straightforward.

He was somewhat like…Haruhi.

/~\

"Ichi Azuma?"

It was a name that, for once, stumped even Kyoya. He couldn't think of a company run by, owned by, or even related to an Azuma. There was no wealthy politician, renowned military general, or famous architect with the surname Azuma. Yet, this Ichi Azuma had made it into Ouran. How strange…

"I'll have to look into him." Kyoya said, making a note of it.

The twins sighed, disappointed Kyoya's usual fountain of knowledge was dry.

"Was he really that bad?" Tamaki asked, fear for Haruhi's innocence rising.

"He kept looking at Haruhi." Kaoru informed.

"Like a tiger waiting to pounce!" Hikaru exclaimed, lying.

Tamaki was horrified. Some stranger was after his little girl?! Haruhi was in danger! He turned around to protect his daughter from all evildoers, but, she wasn't in view…

"Where's Haruhi?" The king asked, confused.

"I asked Haru-chan to get me some milk from the cafeteria." Hunny said, eating chocolate strawberry cake. "We ran out."

At first, the Host club paid no mind comment. Haruhi was the one to run the errands, but then it hit them. She went out…

By herself?!

/~\

Haruhi couldn't blame Hunny for wanting more milk. It just seemed to really suit cake. Frosting could only get the desire for thirst so far. Also, frosting sometimes was also dry and really irritated the throat without a liquid to cushion the impact. But Haruhi suppose the rich cake the Host club purchased wasn't as common as the frozen ones at the grocery store.

"Oh, Haruhi."

Haruhi was never one to be taken by surprise, but Ichi's voice was quite…dark. Not only that, he had the uncanny ability to suddenly appear like a ghost.

"Hey Ichi." Haruhi greeted. He outstretched his arm, passing her a bag. She took it, and he turned to leave. "Wait!" She quietly exclaimed, "Why are you giving me this?"

Ichi turned back to answer her. "You kept me from drowning." He said with shrug. "I can't just idle by as you continue on without a proper thank you."

From his tone, Haruhi was unable to tell if he was sincere or he found the act a chore. "You didn't have to…" She mumbled, peering into the bag.

"It was nothing." Ichi said, "Really. I won it as a raffle prize from some grand opening at a noodle house. It's been sitting in my closet for a few weeks now. I'm not going to use it. I figured you could."

Raffle prize? Noodle house? Someone at Ouran actually knew those words?

"What is it?" Haruhi asked, unable to tell from her angle.

"It's a pan set." Ichi answered blandly. "I never touched it. Since you actually cook, it'd finally leave the box. So far, it's only been collecting dust. Makes me feel sorry for them…"

Haruhi had always been a bit reluctant to receive gifts. Her father was always pushing way too girly dresses on her, same with Tamaki. Hikaru and Kaoru were constantly bothering her by making her put on their mother's latest design. Then there were the times Kyoya graciously gave Haruhi something necessary, which only added to her debt.

But this time, she had received a practical present. Cooking was quite fun, but her tools were growing old. She had no desire to buy news, she just lived with it. She had found new ones would be nice, but she wasn't willing to go great lengths to have some. Now, just by being a Good Samaritan, Haruhi got a gracious gift.

"Thank you." Haruhi said with a smile.

Ichi slightly smiled, then kissed his two fingers. But, instead of tapping her forehead, he tapped her lips, catching her off guard again. "Your welcome." He said.

He turned and walked away. Haruhi couldn't help but feel he would collapse for some reason. Thankfully, he did not.

"Haruhi! Haruhi!"

Upon hearing her name, Haruhi turned to see the entire Host club approaching her with worried looks. Like a reflex, she automatically turned back around to see if Ichi was still there. He was, quite the distance away. But even with the large space in between then, they had their eyes locked. He lingered for a few seconds before disappearing behind a corner. She had the feeling it would have stayed longer if the Host club didn't show up…

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, gripping his daughter by the shoulders. "Are you okay!? No one's tried to take advantage of you!?"

"I'm fine senpai." Haruhi said, brushing off the King.

"A gift?" Kyoya questioned, acknowledging the bag Haruhi was carrying.

The rest of the club noticed and took immediate attention. What's in the bag? What's in the bag!!?

"It's from Ichi." Haruhi informed, instantly souring the mood. A few hosts didn't like the fact that _he_ was alone with Haruhi. "He gave it to me for helping him."

"What is it?" Hunny asked, curious.

"A pan set." Haruhi said, her mood slightly rising, it felt good not getting clothing for once. Again, those few members didn't like the fact that _he_ made her happy.

"I'll buy you an entire kitchen set!" Tamaki exclaimed, desperate for Haruhi to forget…_him._

Haruhi shook her head as she mmm-ed, "No, this will do." Most of the Host club frowned, disliking the fact Haruhi liked something from _him_ instead of them.

Something had to be done…

/~\

From that day, the Host club made _sure_ Ichi could get no where near Haruhi.

It wasn't exactly a difficult task though. Ichi didn't show himself often let alone attempt to approach the Female Host. From the times he _did_ pass by, he didn't look over, or even glance. But he did attract Haruhi's attention. She had a tendency to just follow him with her gaze. She wasn't allured to his body, eyes, voice, or hair, but his personality.

He was so unlike the rest of Ouran it was like he didn't even attend the Academy. He couldn't be on scholarship, Haruhi was the only one. She would say he was in the D class, those students were _really_ out there. But, even with their…quirks, they treated the Host club with some sort respect. Unlike Ichi who lost interest mid sentence.

There was also one strange thing that set Ichi apart. Every time one of the Host members witnessed him, he was drinking. He had two metal water bottles constantly hooked onto his belt loops. It seemed obvious that the liquid inside was water, but the pleasure that bestowed his face when he drank, said different.

But even without his…traits, the Host club had dubbed Ichi: Evil.

It was a bit harsh, not even knowing the guy, but it could be expected. The Host club was unusually protective over Haruhi, at least when it came to other men. Who knew how Ichi really was? He could be a pervert or a molester, or a murderer!

Easy to say, Haruhi was disapproving of the unnecessary guarding.

"Haruhi," The twins called, smiles plastered on their faces, "let's go to lunch!"

"I'll eat in the classroom today." Haruhi said sternly, keeping her ground.

"Then we'll stay here!" The twins exclaimed.

Haruhi shot them an annoyed glare, scaring them out. It had been so long since she had time to herself, she just wanted some space.

"Ah shit!"

The curse was distant, but not far. It didn't come from the hall, but…the window? It _was_ open. She walked over and peered out to see, none other then Ichi.

"Shit, shit!" He swore, shaking his metal bottles. "_Shit_!"

"What's wrong Ichi?" Haruhi called from above, not distressed by his franticness.

"Haruhi!" Ichi exclaimed from below, hope on his face. "Quickly, quickly! Do you have anything I can drink?!"

"Umm…" Haruhi thought about it, "A can of juice."

"Throw it down!" He shouted, "Please!"

"Will you answer a question in exchange?" Haruhi asked, daring him.

"Yeah sure!" Ichi yelled, desperate. "Just please! Throw it down!"

Haruhi quickly disappeared from the window, to return moments later, she outstretched her hand and dropped the can. Ichi caught it, opened it, and drunk it in a matter in seconds. He sighed satisfied.

"Thank you!" Ichi said, smiling widely, something new for Haruhi.

"What class are you in?" She asked.

"3-D!" Ichi shouted as he sprinted away.

So he was in the D class…

/~\

"Do you have any information on the enemy Kyoya-senpai?"

Kyoya pushed up his glasses, subconsciously showing he disliked the term 'the enemy' when it came to talking about Ichi. "I have." He informed, "But there was little to collect."

"Anything will do!" Tamaki exclaimed, desperate to protect his daughter.

Kyoya opened his notebook, "Ichi Azuma," He recited, "A third year in the D class. He has no known parents and lives by himself in a three bedroom apartment. He began attending Ouran two months ago and paid the enrollment fee with a check."

It was a bit surprising that there was a lack of information, but it also surprising how detailed the lack of information was. Not to mention the oddities. No known parents? Paid with a check? Lives by himself in a three bedroom apartment? How strange…

"That's not much to work with…" Hikaru mumbled.

Work with for what? What exactly was the Host club planning? Were they trying to dig up dirt on Ichi so they could blackmail him to stop interacting with Haruhi? Even if they found decent information, he could just blackmail them back by exposing Haruhi's gender. Wait…_Does_ he know Haruhi's a girl?

Maybe he is a pervert…

"We're back!" Hunny cheered as he, Mori, and Haruhi returned to the Third Music room.

Tamaki and the twins quickly dispersed from Kyoya's table. They didn't want Haruhi to think they were up to something…If anything. Hunny returned to his table where his cheesecake was awaiting him. Mori followed his tiny cousin. Haruhi also took her seat, isolated from the rest of the Host club. She set down a familiar water bottle.

"That's–!" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaimed, pointing accusingly

"Yeah." Haruhi confirmed, ignoring their exclamation, "Ichi-senpai must have dropped it. I'll return it to him later." Tamaki and the twins disliked the fact Haruhi was willing to approach _him_.

"I'll bring it to him!" Tamaki shouted, snatching the metal bottle from Haruhi's table.

She looked up at him, partly confused as to why he is volume was unnecessarily loud. Haruhi shrugged, "If you can find him." A difficult task indeed…

"Where would he be?" Tamaki asked Kyoya, finding Haruhi's statement a true one.

Tapping on the keyboard, Kyoya answered, "Going to his class just after school ends would be a good start."

Haruhi zoned out of the conversation to think about her interaction with Ichi at lunch. He seemed unusually desperate for a liquid. It was almost like if he didn't drink something, he'd die. It was a strange situation, and didn't seem to fit the pieces. First off, no one would go so dehydrated that they'd kick the bucket, especially at Ouran. And second, it would take much longer then the amount of time Ichi went in between drinks to get dehydrated.

How peculiar…

/~\

"Oh sorry, what? I wasn't listening."

Tamaki could relate to Hikaru and Kaoru when it came to disliking Ichi. The Host club king hadn't said three sentences and Ichi had lost complete focus. It could be considered rude, but it was difficult to tell when he was paying attention and when he wasn't.

"Haruhi found your water bottle." Tamaki repeated, holding up the object of subject. "I'm here to give it to you."

"…" Ichi had apparently zoned out again, "Excuse me for saying this but…" He inched in closer, resulting in Tamaki inching back. "Your eyes are…_immaculate_."

"Umm…Thank you." Tamaki answered, unsure of how to take the compliment.

Ichi inched in ever closer, cupping Tamaki's face, "Your true eye color…" He mumbled, "I'd suspect it to be contacts, but no one here would be that pathetic…" He suddenly realized the awkwardness of two men having their faces to close, and the people looking at them strangely and obsessively, a few excited what would happen next. "Oh," Ichi said, pulling back, "Sorry." He took the bottle, "Thank you for bringing this back." Ichi hooked it onto his pants to join the other three. "Could you thank Haruhi as well?"

"Sure." Tamaki reluctantly lied, no way would he actually tell Haruhi.

Ichi had apparently stopped caring and walked away mumbling, "Such beautiful eyes…"

Tamaki fumed, annoyed at how absentminded and smug Ichi was. He had to make _sure_ his daughter didn't get near _him_.

"Hey Ichi-senpai."

Not too far away, down the hall and around a few corners, Haruhi had come across Ichi. She had successfully escaped from Hikaru and Kaoru as they were giving a preview to this afternoon's Hosting hours. She was hoping to just have some time alone, but talking with Ichi was also appealing.

"Oh," Ichi replied, "Haruhi, I didn't notice you." It was a bold thing to say. The hallway was completely empty except for him and Haruhi, how could he _not_ see her? "Do you like the pan set?" Ichi asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah." Haruhi nodded, "It's very nice."

Ichi and Haruhi didn't have a way with words. Haruhi said only said what was necessary, and not continuous background information. Ichi tended to mumble, and besides his lecture the other day, said little. The two were peas in a pod.

"Thanks for finding my water bottle." Ichi said, unhooking the subject and drinking from it. "I appreciate it."

"It's fine." Haruhi said with a shrug. "I figured you'd need it since you're so desperate for water."

Ichi smirked, and nodded as he continued to drink. "Yeah." He agreed for some reason.

"Why _are_ you drinking so much?" Haruhi asked, her curiosity taking over.

"I'm thirsty." Ichi answered, no sarcasm. "Unbelievably so."

"Why?" Haruhi asked.

Ichi looked at her for a few seconds before answering. "I'm not sure…" He said. "It just happened."

"Shouldn't you go to a doctor?" Haruhi questioned.

"Probably." Ichi replied. "But I'm fine. I can make it through the night without water, and as long as I have these–" He motioned to the bottles hooked to his pants, "–I'll survive."

"Are you sure?" Haruhi asked.

Ichi look over the freshmen with cold eyes. He didn't say anything for a few moments, stalling or thinking, Haruhi couldn't tell. "Are you well liked?" He asked, completely forgetting the previous topic.

Haruhi felt a little annoyed he was dodging the question. But she answered anyone, "Sure I suppose." Although Haruhi did know most of the school liked her, she didn't feel like rubbing it in her senpai's face.

"Were you well liked when you first came here?" Ichi continued to question.

"Not really." Haruhi answered, "I kept to myself."

"What changed your status?" Ichi asked, no curiosity detected in his voice.

"I joined the Host club." Haruhi stated.

Ichi's eyes widened. "Host club?" He questioned, somewhat shocked.

"Yeah." Haruhi confirmed.

"That's just–That's just…" For once, Ichi was at a loss of words. "That's just…_unexpected_." Apparently, he was finding it difficult to disgust the information. "I…I" He was having a hard time saying an intended sentence. "I…need to go." He left without a goodbye.

Haruhi stayed behind, confused as to why Ichi was so shocked by the Host club.

\-/

"_Welcome back Ichi-sama, would you like to see Aki-chan again today?"_

_Ichi found he was questioning himself a lot lately. Why did he come here every night? Was he lonely? Or bored? He had the money, and the time. Good god did he have the time. But, he didn't have the reason._

"_Sure."_

_He didn't need to follow the greeter for he already knew where Aki resided. He had been here every night for the last eight days. When he saw Aki, the latter smiled at the former's presences. _

"_I~chi~sa~ma." Aki cooed seductively, motioning the student to come closer. "My Prince Charming."_

"_Cut the crap." Ichi said, slightly irritated. "Your open attitude is creepy." _

_Aki smirked and rapped around him. "You _are_ a charmer."_

_Ichi couldn't help but sneer, he had remembered. Oh yes. This was he returned._

_Dominance._

* * *

I'd like to address a few things,

-There will be light yaoi mentions in LATER chapters.  
-Although I said Haruhi/OC it's more like Hikaru&Tamaki/(Haruhi/OC1)/OC2  
(Hikaru and Tamaki both like Haruhi, who has a thing for OC1 Ichi, who – not exactly mentioned now nor later – is in this thing with OC2.)  
-There are two types of mumbles, ones that are heard by the Host club i.e not in Italics, and ones said under one's breathe, i.e, in Italics.  
-That snippet of sentences in Italics a few lines above, insight into Ichi's world, for the narrative of this fanfic is third person for the Host club. Will be done each chapter, may or may not relate to chapter.  
-You may have noticed Ichi's vocabulary is large, while I'd rather not spoil anything, I'll say that he likes being civilized, and takes pride in his large vocabulary.  
-I never like setting myself in a point of the Ouran Timeline, so let's say that it's some time between Tamaki realizing his feelings for Haruhi, yet before Hikaru dyed his hair, so somewhere in the second half of volume 11 (After the sports fest).

Thanks for reading, Reviews would be much appreciated.

-Thanks again, Lizninja.


	2. t w o

Chapter 2

The Host club had, unofficially, declared victory over the enemy.

Technically, they won by default, but that was still a victory right? Since the day Tamaki returned the water bottle, Ichi hadn't set foot near Haruhi. Even when he passed by and she said hello, Ichi would only nod in her direction, then quickly leave. It was a strange win, but nonetheless, a win.

But, it did have a horrible downside.

A few of the Host club members had a tendency to…switch emotions on topics quickly. Yes, Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru were content that _he_ was not attempting to interact with Haruhi, but _why_ wasn't he? Was Haruhi suddenly not good enough for him? Did he think he was too good for Haruhi? Did he believe he was above Haruhi just because she was a commoner!? Hell no he wasn't!!

It was a bit annoying to listen to. First they hated Ichi for being close to Haruhi, now they hated Ichi for _not_ attempting to be close to Haruhi. In the beginning it was for Haruhi's innocence. Now, it's for her integrity!

Haruhi, meanwhile, just wanted them to _shut up_.

True, she was a little hurt Ichi was avoiding her, but he had his reasons. She felt it had to do with her being in the Host club. He was so…taken aback when she told him. Did he have something against them? Or was he just old fashion and found Host clubs wrong? Whatever it was, the feeling was strong. He seemed to motion around her whenever they were close.

It was a bit…rude.

When hosting hours ended, the members followed Haruhi as they all made their way to the front gates. They were being their usual host-y selves by cooing over Haruhi and invading her personal space. The thought of the enemy was at the back of their minds, but, like some strange twist of fate, the devil himself bumped into them.

At first, Ichi didn't really notice. He probably thought they were somebody else. "Sorry." He mumbled. But, then he realized who he ran into, and his eyes widened. "My apologies." He said at proper volume, avoiding eye contact. "I should have been watching where I was going." He paused for two seconds, "If you'll excuse me…" He began to leave.

"Hey!" Tamaki called, "Wait a second!"

Ichi shook his head as he walked the other direction, "Sorry." He called back, "I'm quite busy."

"Hold on!" Hikaru and Kaoru shouted simultaneously.

Ichi shook his head again, "I'm late." He announced, "Maybe next week…"

In a flash, Mori caught Ichi by the shoulder and pulled him back. "They were talking to you." He said flatly.

The two third years had a nonchalant stare off. It was a bit intimidating due to the fact they were both very tall, Mori slightly taller then Ichi. The latter growled quietly, then broke away. "Fine." He said, obviously annoyed, "What is it?"

"Why are you avoiding Haruhi?!" Tamaki demanded, wanting an answer. Haruhi felt slightly embarrassed that they were going so far as interrogating the guy.

Ichi's eyes widened, as if realizing something. "Don't tell me…" He trailed, "You're the Host club?" The hosts were a bit confused, but nodded nonetheless. "Oh god…" Ichi mumbled, covering his mouth for some reason. "Oh god…On so many levels…" He shook his head, in disbelief or disapproval, it was hard to say. "I'm sorry but," He was having a difficult time swallowing what he had just learned, "we'll have to continue this another day. I'm not…capable…" He began to leave without finishing.

"Hey!" Tamaki called, annoyed "Wa–" Before the King could get out three syllables, Ichi shot the Host club a look, scaring most of the members.

It was only Haruhi who saw the actual emotion behind Ichi's 'glare'. She questioned the actual meaning behind it. It was full of…_lust_. Lust and greed. She didn't understand what she saw. From the way he was acting, it was as if he disgusted the Host club. But his actual emotion seemed to portray the fact that he…_wanted_ them?

"Maybe it's better if he doesn't get near Haruhi…" Hikaru said.

"Agreed." Tamaki concurred.

Did Haruhi have any say in this?

/~\

It was a new day, and a new theme. Welcome to Olympia!

Tamaki, of course, was standing as the King of the Gods: Zeus. Kyoya was taking Shadow King to a new level as Hades. Hikaru and Kaoru were playing the roles of the Twin Gods: Apollo and Artemis. Mori was impersonating Ares, the God of war and Hunny representing Hermes, the massager of the gods. Lastly was Haruhi, who was suckered into being Demeter, goddess of fertility.

All the costumers _loved_ the idea of the Greek Gods. It all worked out so perfectly! Everyone just fitted their role so well, especially Hikaru and Kaoru with their brotherly love. They were playing up the fact that Artemis was a girl, of course, Kaoru was Artemis.

Being Demeter didn't give away her gender, Haruhi was just perceived by costumers as 'perfect for the role'. She _did_ have a down-to-earth feeling about her. But, Haruhi was reluctant to the theme. She was finding it…over the top. She was fine with the costumes, it was the scenery: An unnecessary amount of roman columns, thin white curtains, and fake fire.

Most of it wasn't needed.

"Tamaki-kun," One costumer pouted, "I hear Zeus was a notorious womanizer."

Tamaki smirked as he held the girl's face in a seductive way, "That may be true," He admitted, "But he was only looking for the perfect woman, who I've found, right now."

The girl and surrounding costumers squeal with delight as Tamaki smirked even more, content with his charm. Haruhi on-looked, finding it a pretty bad line, but she supposed it passed. With Costumers constantly asking questions and making statements, a Host had to be on his toes with a line that would strike the cord of seduction.

Haruhi turned her attention to the window, disliking what she was seeing inside. Outside was much more peaceful. It looked like such a nice day out there. The sun was shining, the trees were slightly swaying, proving a gentle wind, and birds were flying about without a care. It was days like this she wished she was free from her debt so she could enjoy the weather…

Suddenly, she noticed the oddity of outside. On the side of the shallow pond with the fountain laid a body, with its head completely submerged in the water.

Haruhi instantly thought of Ichi, and instantly assumed it was Ichi. No one else would end up in unconscious in water. Deciding not to inform the other Hosts, she quickly jogged out of the Third music room before he drowned.

When she reached the lukewarm pond, she kneeled next to the body and pulled his head up, confirming the identity. Ichi did not regain instant consciousness like Haruhi had hoped.

"Senpai." She said.

Ichi didn't reply.

"Senpai!" She called louder.

Still, no reply.

"Senpai!!" She shouted.

There were a few violent coughs, heaves, and frantic breathing. Then, suddenly, Ichi's head shot up, and he grabbed Haruhi's costume, scaring her. "Damnit!" He shouted, pulling his fist back, ready to strike. He then realized who he was threatening and released her. "Sorry." He said, shaking his head to get rid of the water.

"W-what was that?!" Haruhi questioned, still a bit shaken.

"I thought you were someone else." He answered, coughing a few times. He ruffled his hair in an attempt to dry it. "How long was I out…?" He mumbled, checking his wrist. "Damnit!!" He swore again, "Those bastards took my watch!!"

"What happened?" Haruhi asked.

Ichi looked at her with tired eyes, as if forgetting the other day. "Shit happened." He replied. "Things that you shouldn't lose sleep over." He lowly growled, "_That was my new watch_…" Before Haruhi could allow the thought process to complete in her head, Ichi changed the subject. "Why are you wearing that?" He asked.

Haruhi looked down at her, now slightly damp, costume. It was a toga, but not as revealing. "It's for the Host club. We do themes some days and today's was Greek mythology."

Unlike before, Ichi's expression didn't change when the Host club was mentioned. "Who are you?" He questioned instead.

Haruhi looked up in thought. "I can't remember…" She admitted, "The god of earth…?"

"_Goddess_ of fertility and the moon, Demeter." Ichi informed, or rather, recited.

"You know about this?" Haruhi questioned, slightly amazed someone Japan would go so far away in history.

"I have a lot of free time." Ichi said flatly. "I retain most of what I read."

From there, the two fell silent. Haruhi got up, but was quickly halted by Ichi. "Is anyone Poseidon?" He asked, looking into the pond.

"I don't think so…" Haruhi said, thinking about. "No, no one is."

"Good…" Ichi said getting up, a small smile spreading across his face.

"Why?" Haruhi questioned, slightly curious.

"Poseidon chased after Demeter." Ichi informed, looking down onto Haruhi. "Legend says he created the horse just to impress her." He cupped her face and tilted her head up, leaving the cross dresser in a blank. He inched ever closer, until their lips almost met, but then pulled back abruptly. "But Poseidon was so captivated by the horse, he completely forgot about Demeter."

Haruhi was…stunned, trying to comprehend what just happened.

Ichi smirked, but it instantly turned into a frown. "Until later Haruhi." He said, leaving.

The female Host stayed behind, disconnected from reality. She was used to the constant flirtatious advances some Host club members never failed to portray. Hikaru and Kaoru had been too close for comfort more then once. Tamaki was constantly embracing her, preaching his 'Daddy speeches'. Then there was that time with Kyoya at the beach house…Those events never shocked her, stunned her, or even left her in question.

But it was different with Ichi.

When he leaned in close, Haruhi felt so…unusual. Her heart fluttered, then went into over-drive. Her breathing cut out, and her mind went completely blank. She didn't understand what happened. She never felt like that before. It was like anxiety only more thrilling, more daring.

She decided not to tell anyone.

/~\

"Where's Haru-chan?"

It was only Hunny who noticed he hadn't seen the cross-dresser in a while. He decided to question the fact, wanting an answer. The Hosts looked around the room, trying to pinpoint Haruhi, which they could not. Tamaki instantly became worried, like any father would. Kyoya took note of it, and how she wasn't entertaining guests. Hikaru and Kaoru hoped Ichi hadn't gotten to her. Mori had no expression of concern.

Just before Tamaki was about to call a search party, Haruhi walked in. She had replaced her stunned expression with her normal one. She did _not_ want the Host club going after Ichi.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, frantic. "Where have you been?! Are you okay?! You're not hurt?!"

Haruhi was feeling slightly annoyed that Tamaki was constantly asking the same questions. "I'm fine senpai." Haruhi said brushing the King off. "I just went out for some fresh air."

"It would be appreciated in you inform us next time." Kyoya stated, pushing up his glasses.

Haruhi only nodded, not caring for what Kyoya had to say. Her mind was still set on what Ichi said, and she had the uncanny feeling it was a metaphor.

Yesterday, during a brief meeting on who would be who today, the Host club was giving the gist of each of the twelve main gods. Haruhi quickly learned that Poseidon was the god of the sea. From past interactions, Ichi always had some relation to water. He was either drinking it, or drowning in it. It could be said that his element was water. It could be said that Ichi _was_ Poseidon. Haruhi being Demeter was either an amazing coincidence, or fate. If Poseidon chased after Demeter, did Ichi want Haruhi? But then there was the second part of the story. Was something occupying Ichi's time that prevented him from completely going after Haruhi? Possibly his desperate thirst.

The only question that remained was…Did he know her gender?

Obviously he wouldn't be advancing so seductively if he didn't know Haruhi was a girl…right? Of course not. Ichi wasn't as dim as the rest of Ouran, he probably knew Haruhi was a girl from the beginning. But…He never said anything that could prove that hypothesis. It'd be too awkward to question. How do you ask someone if they know your gender? Haruhi would attempt to bring it up in conversation, but she couldn't think of how.

"Haruhi, what are you doing this weekend?"

The female Host was pulled back to reality by the twins. She looked at them, forgetting she was asked something for a few seconds. When she realized, she quickly replied, "Nothing." Then cursed her answer.

"Let's do something together." Kaoru said, leaning in close.

"Just the three of us." Hikaru whispered seductively.

Haruhi was unphased by the come-ons. She was actually a bit annoyed they were constantly attempting to seduce her. "No." she said flatly, disapproving.

"Oh, oh!" Hunny exclaimed, jumping up in excitement. "If Haru-chan's not doing anything, let's all go to the amusement park!"

It was a good suggestion. The Host club hadn't done anything together on weekends for awhile. The theme park sounded fun, it was always a thrill to descend the steep drop of the dizzying rollercoaster. Most of the members were already approving the idea, but Haruhi was still in denial. She had things to do. She needed to study for an upcoming test, buy that week's groceries, and do the laundry. Could she really spare a day to waste of rides and supervising the Host club? She doubted it.

"I want to eat commoner's cotton candy!" Hikaru announced.

"I want to play one of those carnival games!" Kaoru proclaimed.

"I want to go on that drop tower ride!" Tamaki declared.

"Will you win me a prize Takashi?" Hunny asked.

"Yeah." Mori replied, smiling slightly.

"It would be a good experience…" Kyoya mused, noting it in his notebook.

Haruhi sighed, she knew if she didn't agree, the Host club would probably show up at her door and force her to come along. "Fine." She reluctantly agreed. "I guess it could be fun."

The Host club cheered, content everyone was coming along.

/~\

"What should we do next?" Tamaki asked eagerly.

Since they had arrived, The Host club had ridden three roller-coasters, five rides, and been on the bumper cars twice. Haruhi, half way through, was warming up to the day, and was beginning to enjoy herself. The weather was favorable, adding to the greatness of it all.

"Let's play some games!" Hunny suggested, eager to win a giant stuffed animal.

"Yeah!" Hikaru and Kaoru cheered as they rushed to the games area, excited to know what the commoner's played.

Everyone else followed, all excited in their own ways. Tamaki just wanted to play for the experience. Hunny wanted the large tiger he saw earlier, and Mori just wanted to please. Kyoya wanted to see the property of winning and the money intake. Haruhi was content on taking a break.

As the seven passed by the booths, various operators called out to them, wanting them to play. Most of the employees were young, and smiling. But, unlike the rich students had anticipated, none of the smiles were fake, they were portraying true joy. The Host club was hyper, desperate to play a game and win a cheap prize.

"He's done it again! A direct hit on the first try!"

The compliment was amplified through two speakers. A crowd had gathered around a game that required the player to get 100 points by hitting a target with a hammer. It was not named, but in the past, was known as the 'Ring the Bell' game, now more advanced.

"What would you like for a prize?" The vender questioned to the player.

The Host club entered the crowd, eager to see what the hype was about. But, they were quickly soured by who was playing.

"That bear." Ichi said, pointing to a large blue teddy bear.

The vender unhooked the prize and gave it to Ichi, who gave it to a mysterious man holding a number of other prizes. "Would you like to play again?" The employee asked, smiling.

Ichi turned to a little girl who was separate from the crowd, who nodded excited. "Yeah." He replied, propping up the enlarged mallet. The vender prompted the game, and signaled it was set. Ichi held the hammer above his head then slammed it down onto the metal target, instantly reaching 100.

The little girl cheered and the crowd clapped and encouraged. A few hosts nonchalantly glared, Haruhi only watched, amazed Ichi was here. What a coincidence.

"Your prize?" The operator asked.

"The monkey!!" The little girl exclaimed, now by Ichi's side. The vendor gave the girl the prize and she smiled widely, content.

"Playing again?" The employee asked.

"No." Ichi answered. "I think we'll move on. Thanks for letting us play continuously though."

The two exchanged goodbyes, and Ichi left with the little girl and mysterious man.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Hikaru asked, disgusted.

Kaoru and Tamaki were obviously also disapproving, but the other members weren't so rash. Kyoya took note of it. Hunny pouted, slightly jealous they had so many prizes, but happy for the little girl. Mori showed no expression. Haruhi was intrigued, no one in Ouran, besides the Host club, did commoner activities…

"Ichi nii-chan!" The little girl said, only a few meters away, tugging on the third year's shirt, "I wanna bunny!"

"Where'd you see it Toki?" Ichi asked, looking down to her, not noticing the Host club.

"With that boy!" Toki said, pointing to Hunny. "I want one like that! Win me one! Please?"

Ichi then realized who was a few feet away. He looked at the Host club, who was thankful the female Host was in neutral her attire: simple shorts, simply shirt. His eyes locked with Haruhi's for a few seconds before they drifted to Usa-chan. "I can't win you one." He told Toki. "He came to the park with it."

Her eyes lingered on Usa-chan as she questioned Ichi's logic. "Are you sure?" Toki asked with a pout.

"Pretty sure." Ichi replied. "Besides, we already have so many, do you really need more?"

"But…But…" Toki went to hold his hand, "You're havin' fun right? You play and I get the prize. That's what you told me. You said you like these games."

Ichi looked down at the girl as she pouted. His expression didn't change, but he said, "Okay, we'll play some more."

Toki cheered, "Thank you Ichi nii-chan!" She said. "But I need to do somethin'." Before the third year could protest, she ran over to Hunny. "Ummm, sorry to bother you." She said, twiddling her fingers. "But, where did you get that bunny?"

Hunny smiled and said, "My grandmother made it for me."

Toki pouted, but smiled back, "Well, it's real cute. You're real lucky."

"You could hold him if you want." Hunny offered.

"Really?!" Toki exclaimed overjoyed, accepting. "Thank you!"

Ichi had no choice to approach the Host club to make sure Toki was okay. He gave no hello, but more of an introduction. "So we meet outside of school." He said, almost amused, "How…coincidental."

"Ichi nii-chan," Toki said, looking up to the senior, "You know these people?"

"Yes." Ichi said, possibly faking a smile. "We attend the same academy."

"Wait, nii-chan?" Hikaru questioned.

"She's you're little sister?" Kaoru continued.

Toki nodded, "Yup!" She smiled. "Ichi's the best-est big brother ever!"

The Host club was shocked, someone as cold hearted as _him_ had the sweetest baby sister?

"Actually…" Ichi said, "I'm Toki's pretend big brother."

"Pretend?" Tamaki questioned, unsure of what that meant.

"I look after her on Saturday." Ichi explained, "We go out to movies, parks, stuff like that."

The Host club was, once again, shocked. He wasn't a complete bastard after all.

"Ichi nii-chan…" Toki said, giving Hunny Usa-chan back, "Will you win me a blow-up hammer?"

Ichi sighed happily, "Sure. Whatever you want." As Toki jumped into the air thrilled, he turned to the Host club and said, "If you want, we can roam about together and I'll show you the tricks of the trade."

Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki were close to declining and telling him off, but another host stepped in before they could. "Yeah!" Hunny agreed, "It'll be fun!" He turned to Mori, "Then we could win as much as Toki-chan!" His cousin nodded, content with Hunny's mood.

Toki cheered, "Yay! More people! Now today won't be so boring."

"Boring?" Ichi questioned jokingly, "We've done everything you wanted, and it's boring?"

"Ichi nii-chan's boring!" Toki accused, which resulted in Ichi lifting her up and flipping her upside down. She squealed in delight.

"Let's try the basketball toss." Ichi suggested as he safely dangled Toki. "It'll be a good beginner game."

Three out of seven members were reluctant, but followed the pact anyway. Toki was set down and walked beside Hunny and Mori. Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru surrounded Haruhi to make sure _he_ wouldn't get close. Kyoya and Ichi lingered in the back.

"If you don't mind me asking Ichi," Kyoya began, pushing up his glasses, "But who is the man following us?"

Ichi glanced back at the mysterious man holding the many prizes. "Bodyguard." He answered. "Personal reasons, but today, he's mainly for carrying our stuff so I don't have to." Kyoya mentally took note of it and the two fell silent. Neither attempted to strike up another conversation.

When the group arrived, the female vender briefed them on the rules. Ichi, Mori, Kyoya, and Haruhi stayed back, while Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Hunny and Toki stayed in front, excited on the simple game. It was pretty easy, get one basket and you win, the difficulty was the fact that the basket was at a far distance and angled awkwardly. Tamaki, being the dense man he was, went first, and like anticipated, did not get a basket. Hikaru went next, he was close, but didn't win. Kaoru, Hunny, and even Mori tried, but all failed. It seemed impossible.

"Ichi nii-chan!" Toki whined, tugging on his arm, "No one can get it in!"

"That's why the game's so cheap." Ichi informed, giving the young girl a lesson. "It seems easy, but is quite difficult and requires strategy. It's the most popular game due to these factors, and rakes in the most income. Understand?"

Still annoyed by the fact no one could win, Toki nodded, getting it.

The Host club looked at the two in confusion. Did Ichi just seriously tell a little girl that? She just wanted to have fun, and now he ruined it. Way to go jerk.

"So the house always wins?" Toki asked, catching the Host club completely off guard.

"Most of the time." Ichi explained. "Sometimes, people on the inside who quit can still pull it off."

"Can you win?" Toki asked, pouting.

"No," Ichi answer, shaking his head, "Not this game, but there are plenty of others I'm good at."

"I thought you said this game was for beginners." Hikaru accused, arms crossed in annoyance.

"Yeah, I did." Ichi said, ruffling Toki's hair. "But I wasn't talking about odds, I meant the rules. Just toss the ball. Pretty simple."

"Skeeball's real simple!" Toki added. "We could try that."

"Good idea Toki." Ichi complimented, "Why don't you show them where is it?"

The young girl nodded as she led the group to the desired booth. Ichi lingered quite behind, smirking. Haruhi, who noticed the third year's distance, quietly broke off from Tamaki and the Twins to see what was up.

"Why are you smiling like that?" She questioned.

Ichi looked down at Haruhi, and his smirk instantly turned into a frown. "Unexplainable humor." He said flatly.

Haruhi only looked at the third year, somewhat not believing him. But, she sensed that he didn't want to talk about it, so she changed the subject. "Toki really seems to bring out the best of you."

Ichi's smile returned as he nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "she's a great kid."

"Don't you think you're spoiling her though?" Haruhi questioned, looking at the various prizes the bodyguard was holding.

"Probably." Ichi answered, "All these games are ringing me dry."

"Then why do you keep playing?" Haruhi questioned.

"Who knows?" Ichi questioned, "Maybe she's grown on me."

Haruhi and Ichi then caught up with the group to find Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru and Mori already playing skeeball. They were enjoying themselves as Toki and Hunny were cheering from the side lines. But the young girl quickly joined Ichi by hooking onto his hand.

"How did you end up with Toki anyway?" Haruhi asked, curious.

"Ichi nii-chan used to date my–" Toki was quickly cut off by the third year's hand.

"What have I told you?" He questioned, slightly irritated. Toki only nodded behind his hand, understanding what he meant. Haruhi was left out of the loop. "Toki is my friend's little sister. He's busy so I look after her on Saturday."

"But Ichi nii-chan, that's not–" Ichi quickly shot Toki a look that shut her up just as fast. Again, Haruhi was left out of the loop.

"Like I said," Ichi repeated, "I'm doing my friend a favor."

Haruhi only looked at the two, several questions in her mind, but for now she kept them to herself.

/~\

After about an hour of mindless games, the notorious trio, otherwise known as Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki, had slightly warmed up to Ichi. He wasn't acting so smug like he usually did at school. They supposed it was because Toki was there, and he didn't want to be a negative influence. Not only that, he was also teaching the Hosts the secrets to the games so they could beat the system. It was questionable as to how he knew about the secrets, but the Hosts didn't judge, they were just glad they were winning so much.

So, after this hour and a quick snack, the Host club decided to go back onto the rides. The immediate choice…? A rollercoaster that went upside down twice. Toki instantly said no, she wasn't going on _that_. Also, she wasn't tall enough…Ichi, after the little girl's decline, said he'll stick around with her. Haruhi, after some thought, also said she didn't want to go on. The notorious trio was reluctant to leave the female host with _him_, but with Toki around, they assumed he wouldn't try anything.

So, the Host club left the first year and the third year with the seven year old. As soon as they sat down, Toki immediately asked if she could go buy some more cotton candy. After a quick lesson on how the flossed sugar was made, Ichi handed her some money and she skipped over to a canteen stand where the two students could easily see her.

"Would you mind tell me the names of the others?" Ichi randomly asked.

Haruhi looked at him, realizing he was right. He didn't know most of the hosts. "Well…" Haruhi began, "There's Tamaki-senpai, he's the annoying blonde one. Kyoya-senpai, he's the one with the glasses. You already know Hikaru and Kaoru. Hunny-senpai is the short one…and Mori-senpai is the really tall one."

Ichi smirked. "They're pretty protective of you, aren't they?" He questioned, sounding like he was amused.

"It's not really necessary." Haruhi shrugged, "I'm completely capable of handling things myself."

Ichi chuckled, as he cupped Haruhi's face, "It's pretty smart of them." He leaned in closer, and her mind went blank. "You're too innocent to be left with a man like me." Their lips brushed, and met for three seconds before they were rudely torn apart by Toki.

"Ichi nii-chan!" She exclaimed, "You meanie!"

From there, Haruhi completely zoned out, trying to calm herself down. They barely even kissed, why was she so nervous? She held her chest, trying to slow her over active heart. She breathed slowly as she thought neutral thoughts. She needed to get some meat for the week. There's a sale on for certain vegetables. There were enough eggs to last a few more days…

But, in reality, the conversation between Toki and Ichi was still going on.

"What'd I do wrong?" He asked, sighing disappointingly.

"You said you'd only kiss Akira nii-chan!" Toki accused as she continued to smack Ichi on the head.

"I never said that." Ichi said, defending himself from the little girl.

"Yes you did! You promised you and Akira nii-chan would be together forever!"

"I've moved on. Even Akira has moved on. You should too."

"No, no! You promised!"

"Sometimes, promises need to be broken."

Toki fumed, then continued to smack Ichi violently. He took it like a man by accepting the hits on his head and arms. For a seven year old, she was pretty feisty. She continued to hit Ichi until she wore herself out. Toki took a break for a moment, resting against him for support. When she regain her pace, she hopped off, still annoyed and stomped over to the canteen where she previously was, constantly looking back to make sure Ichi and Haruhi weren't that close again.

"Sorry about that." Ichi said, snapping the female host back to reality. "My impulses got the better of me."

"N-no, it was–you don't n-need to–" For once, Haruhi was at a loss for words. She stammered, trying to straighten out the situation.

Ichi looked at her and smirked, "Seems both sides are against us." He said, sounding amused. Haruhi looked over at him, as he playfully smiled at her. Unfortunately, the moment was cut short. "If you'll excuse me…"

Haruhi watched Ichi as he walked over to his bodyguard. The two dove into immediate conversation. She was unable to tell what they were talking about, but Ichi was looking around a lot. In paranoia or habit, Haruhi couldn't tell. The two conversed for a relatively short amount of time, so short so that Ichi returned before Toki. He sat down next to Haruhi and said nothing.

The Host club then came into view. Haruhi quickly moved away from Ichi and the latter only looked the opposite direction of the former. Tamaki instantly began raving on how amazing the loop de loops were, and the twins marveled over pictures they had bought. Ichi only nodded, with an occasion 'Oh really?' nonchalantly showing he didn't really care.

Then, he suddenly stood up and went past the Host club. They followed him with their eyes to see him go to an approaching Toki. He whispered something to her and she nodded. He picked her up and walked back over.

"This is where I'll have to cut our time…short." Ichi was frank. "Toki and I need to leave. It's been…fun." He left with only a nod and Toki waved goodbye behind her cotton candy.

Haruhi watched longer then the others, making a few of them take notice. "Something wrong Haruhi?" Kyoya asked, taking note of how spacey she was.

"Oh, uh, no." Haruhi answered, zoning back in, "I was just thinking about what groceries I need to buy." Most of the hosts believed the lie, except the Shadow King, who smirked deviously.

Meanwhile, for some odd reason, Haruhi was jealous of Ichi and Toki's relationship…

\-/

"_Ichi you bastard! Get your sorry ass back to this house before I find you and drag you back! I raised you and put a roof over your head for eighteen years, and this is how you repay me?! I deserve some of that money!"_

_Ichi stared at his phone as it recited the voicemail. It was the one thing he kept from three months ago. He was wondering if it was a smart move. Not that he was afraid of someone tracking him through it, no, no, they were too stupid. It was just…Everyday he got at least four calls on the same thing: A threat for the money._

_Ichi, I'll find you, kill you, then rob you._

_Ichi, you sadistic bastard, I'll ring your throat myself._

_Ichi, how dare you abandon me? I hope they kill you._

_He growled, pissed off at his past acquiesces. He decided he needed to show them he wasn't afraid. He flipped open his phone and dialed in the, once, familiar number._

"_Hey, Dad, it's me, Ichi."_

-

Two chapters and they've already kissed. Ichi you dog you!  
I hope I've captured the Hosts well.

Reviews would be wonderful

-Thanks, Lizninja.


	3. t h r e e

A/N: It's come to my attention that people have Aki and Akira mixed up. I understand, their names are extremely similar. But, believe me, they are two separate people, with two separate lives, with two separate relations with Ichi. They're not exactly major roles, or minor, they're just mentioned. Maybe they'll show up, maybe they won't. All I'm saying is that they're not the same person.

Now, please enjoy.

Chapter 3

Haruhi couldn't help but think about Saturday.

There was something about Ichi that just…intrigued her. He was so…so unlike everyone else. She figured he was appealing to her because she was so used to the Host club's advances, his were so different and lustful. Yes, the notorious trio tended to flirt with either princely charm, or mischievous acts, but they were nothing compared to Ichi.

Haruhi was beginning to question herself. Did she truly like him, or was it something else? Prior to the day she saved Ichi from drowning, she had felt something for both Hikaru and Tamaki. But, today, she couldn't remember what that feeling was. When they got close, it wasn't like when Ichi leaned in, those times were nothing compared to the exhilarating jolts she felt around the mysterious third year.

She was spending most of her off time just trying to straightening things out in her head.

"Haruhi!" Hikaru called, bring the female host back to actuality. It seemed to be a new tendency, reminding Haruhi of the others around her.

"What is it?" She questioned.

"School's over." Kaoru informed, "Time to go to the club."

"Give me a second." Haruhi said as she gathered her things, thinking.

The twins only looked at each other, noticing the fact that Haruhi was keeping to herself more then usual. Usually, she would only mumble about homework and chores around her apartment. Now, she looked more lost in her thoughts, like she wasn't just checking things off. A real deal was happening.

"Is something wrong Haruhi?" Hikaru and Kaoru questioned simultaneously as the three walked down the hall.

"No nothing." She immediately answered, bringing on more suspicion.

"Are you sure?" Kaoru questioned, checking Haruhi's forehead for a fever.

"You seem pretty spacey." Hikaru continued, looking into her eyes for irregularities.

Haruhi only shrugged, "It's nothing." She repeated.

The twins looked at each other again, mentally passing the message of holding a meeting with Tamaki to discuss the matter. As the twins continued to walk, psychically passing notes, Haruhi's eyes widened in realization.

"I forgot my textbook in the classroom." She said, both to herself and the Hitachiins. "I'll be right back."

"We'll meet you at the Host club." Hikaru informed.

"Okay." Haruhi called as she lightly jogged back to homeroom.

Hikaru and Kaoru looked at each other, the same thought racing through their heads. Now was the perfect time to discuss with Tamaki. So they rushed to the Third music room, hoping to use the little amount of time they had.

/~\

Haruhi sighed in relief when she found her textbook still on her desk. The sight of it slightly relaxed her. She was already stressing over her 'love life', she didn't need to add academic problems to it all. She grabbed her school related literature and rushed out of the classroom, being late to the Host club would only worsen things.

As she quickly walked along in the hallway, a familiar voice froze her.

"Hey, Dad, it's me Ichi."

The third year was close, but not in eyeshot. His dark voice was echoing out into the hallway. Haruhi peered around an intersection to see Ichi, sneering as he talked on the phone. His tone was cheerful anger.

He laughed sarcastically. "I can tell by the fact that since you didn't pick up you either drank so much you passed out, _or_ you drank so much you didn't know what the ringing was and are now questioning where I am upon hearing my voice. I got your little message, and have I few things to tell you. First off, screw you old man. I'm never coming back and you can threaten me as much as you want. I'm not afraid of a drunk like you. Second, you did _not_ raise me for eighteen years, that was mom for the five years she stayed with you. All you did was sit on the couch drinking, jumping from crappy job to crappy job because you didn't finish high school. Lastly, you have no right to my money. It's mine and mine alone. You're not getting any, you're alcohol fund isn't getting any, and Kenta definitely isn't getting any. Screw you dad. Screw you all the way to hell."

Ichi angrily hung up, and turned in Haruhi's direction. She instantly hid back behind the corner, nervous he saw her. She was somewhat afraid of what Ichi would think if he thought she was eavesdropping.

"Oh Haruhi." Ichi said swooping in, startling her. "So that was you…Did you hear all that?" He questioned, looking down at her.

Haruhi didn't know if she should answer truthfully or not. Would Ichi really care? "Yeah." She answered, nodding. "I was just walking to the Host club when I heard you."

"I apologize for my foul language." Ichi said unusually formally. "My father is just so goddamn…" He growled, showing he truly disliked said parent. "I can't stand the drunk!" Haruhi had only seen Ichi angry once before, so his dark voice was still a bit too robust for her at the exclamations. "Sorry." He mumbled, pushing his hair back, "He makes me loose my grip sometimes." He shook his head as he struggled to sip from his water bottle.

"Are you okay?" Haruhi questioned, noticing the third year looked a little…unsettled.

"Yeah." Ichi said, regaining his composure. "My father just really sours my mood. But, with you around, I'm not so pissed off." He leaned in and smiled playfully as he kissed Haruhi, leaving the her in a light daze. "Maybe we could have some fun together later." He suggested seductively.

Unlike with Hikaru and Kaoru's similar proposal, Haruhi was unusually tempted by Ichi's.

But, before she could reply, he pulled back, and chuckled, "I'm kidding." He smiled, "I'm sure one of your fellow hosts' have already claimed you."

Haruhi shook her head, both to regain her senses and deny Ichi's statement. "No, I'm not with any of them."

"Oh really?" Ichi smirked, his tone full of intrigue, "How fortunate." Then, he left without a goodbye, or even a follow-up statement, leaving Haruhi in question.

/~\

"There's something wrong with my daughter?!" Tamaki questioned, once again worried over Haruhi's wellbeing.

Hikaru and Kaoru nodded in unison. "Haruhi's been really spacey lately." They said.

"She's keeping to herself more." Hikaru informed.

"It's like something's bothering her." Kaoru mused.

Tamaki was horrified. Something was troubling his little girl?! He had to do something! He had to protect her from all things evil! He had to–He had to be with her at all times!

"If I remember correctly…" Kyoya began, grabbing the notorious trio's immediate attention, "Haruhi began acting like that since Saturday, just after Ichi and Toki left."

Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru widened their eyes upon hearing the enemy's name. Of course, only he, the smug cocky bastard, would be able to trouble Haruhi like this. Only he could create such a disruption within the Host club. Only he would dare go after the Female host with his cold motives. It was official, Ichi was once again evil.

"We have to do something." Tamaki declared in a serious voice.

"But what?" Hikaru questioned, to both the king and himself.

The notorious trio thought about it. What could be done to prevent Haruhi and Ichi interacting? Déjà vu quickly set upon them, remembering they had attempted the same battle plan weeks prior. The idea of surrounding Haruhi at all times successfully worked, but it really annoyed her, something that would put them on the line. Irritating her would probably push her more towards Ichi, something they _definitely_ did not want.

"We need more information on Ichi…" Kaoru mumbled, thinking aloud.

A light went on, "Brilliant idea Kaoru!" Tamaki exclaimed, grinning. "If we knew more about him, we could use it to our advantage!"

"There's nothing else to know though." Hikaru pointed out. "Kyoya-senpai already told us everything."

The oddities returned to mind. No known parents, paid with a check, lives alone in a three bedroom apartment…

"There _is_ another way to learn about Ichi." Kyoya smirked, obviously amused by the idea.

"What is it?!" Daddy asked, frantic.

"Spend time with him."

The suggestion was mind blowing. Actually waste away precious hours with that smug bastard? It was good idea, _theoretically_, but Ichi was so…god forsakenly pompous, it poked holes in the hypothesis. It would take a kind soul and a brave man to face off with…_him_. Not to mention the fact he seemed to dislike them. Yeah, he was cool on Saturday, but that was only because Toki was there. Imagine what he was like alone. It was skin crawling.

Then, the main doors to the third music room opened just enough for Haruhi to slip in quietly. She was resting her fingertips on her lips in question.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, pouncing at his daughter. She accepted the glomp with a straight face, wondering how she would feel about it if she didn't know Ichi. Would she be embarrassed at the embrace? Annoyed at Daddy's over-eagerness? Or ashamed at how protective he was?

"Sorry I'm late." Haruhi apologized after being released.

"It took you longer then anticipated to get back Haruhi." Kyoya stated, pushing up his glasses.

"Yeah…" She shrugged, "I ran into Ichi-senpai on the way."

The notorious trio stiffed upon hearing _his_ name. Haruhi was with him?! Didn't she understand the dangers on being alone with him?! Didn't she see he wasn't a good person?! He was a pervert! A molester! A murderer! He was…_pure evil_. She needed to stay in safe areas with at least two other Host members. He wasn't aloud to be more then two meters close. He–He needed to be deported! Completely cut off from Haruhi!

"He was calling his dad." Haruhi bleakly informed. She decided revealing the hatred between the father and son wouldn't be welcomed on the latter's part.

The Host club looked at each other in question. Didn't Ichi…_not_ have parents? No known parents to be precise. Yet, according to Haruhi, he was talking to his father over the phone? Something had to be off.

"Are you sure Haruhi?" Hikaru asked.

"What do you mean?" Haruhi questioned.

"Kyoya-senpai told us Ichi didn't have any known parents." Kaoru informed.

Haruhi took in the information with a straight face, somewhat not believing them. Would Ichi really lie to her? His anger seemed too real to be fake. Yet, Kyoya was never wrong…It basically came down to one question: Who did she trust more on the subject? Ichi or the Host club? It _was_ Ichi's life, but, again, Kyoya was never wrong. Something was off…

"Maybe Kyoya-senpai's wrong." Haruhi said a shrug, "Ichi-senpai would have more say in his own life."

The Notorious trio was horrified. Did Haruhi seriously just choose _him_ over _them_?!

"B-but Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, gripping onto her shoulders. "You don't know his true motives! He–He could be a cold hearted killer! Just–Just waiting to pounce when you least suspect it!"

Haruhi was a bit annoyed that Tamaki was categorizing Ichi when he barely knew the guy. "Ichi-senpai's nothing like that." She defended, escaping from Daddy's grasp. "Don't you think you're being a bit prejudice without even knowing what he's like?"

Tamaki was taken aback by his daughter's rebellion. "But, but Haruhi…" He attempted.

She frowned, "I'm going home early."

A few members gave some syllables of protest, but before a full statement could be said, Haruhi shot them all a glare that seemed to say: _Back off_, ultimately scaring them, and ultimately allowing her to leave.

As soon as she walked out the door, Tamaki felt horrible.

/~\

Haruhi sighed as she shook her head disapprovingly.

God only knew why Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru disliked Ichi so much. He wasn't a bad person. Sure, he was a bit smug, and tended to mumble, and sexually advanced, but besides that, was a nice guy. He gave Haruhi a nice pan set, he never wanted to bother her with his problems, and looked after a seven year old every Saturday. Those seemed like better deeds then what the Host club did: Entertain girls for a few hours…for profit. The Host club _did_ have good intentions, but most of them are incapable of performing simple tasks, most of them get excited over the most miscellaneous things, and a few of them are idiots. It was a bit tiring to work with them…

Then, suddenly, Haruhi's thoughts were cut short by incomprehensible shouts from outside. They sounded angry yet pleased…yet annoyed. What was going on?

Haruhi approached the doors and opened them cautiously. A voice seemed to shout out, and the others replied, still it was difficult to tell what they were saying. When she looked out, she saw a few guys running away. They weren't wearing the Ouran uniform. She tilted in her head question. Were they running…from her? She then heard splashing, and her attention was directed to the near-by fountain. She saw nothing until her eyes landed on a leg, lifelessly hanging over the edge.

Haruhi approached carefully, unsure of what awaited her on the other side. There were a few more small splashes, some coughs, and weak muttering, temporary freezing her. She moved closer, sure it was Ichi, but was cautious as to how injured he was.

"Senpai…" Haruhi said, now in front of his hidden body.

"Haruhi…?" Ichi questioned, attempting to surface from behind the falling water. He chuckled slightly, "You're…always the one who finds me…"

"Are you okay senpai?" Haruhi asked, worried.

He coughed a few times, and heaved himself past the fountain's falls, hanging his head as water dipped off him. "I've…been better." He admitted.

Ichi attempted to lift his head and face Haruhi, but he apparently couldn't find the strength. She grabbed both sides of his face and helped him, carefully tilting his head up. She gasped. The damage was drastic. "S-senpai! What happened?!" Haruhi's eyes darted him his forming black eye, to his cut lip, to his nose bleed, to the gash on his cheek.

"Nothing…you should lose sleep over." He smirked, most likely repeating that on purpose.

"I should get help," Haruhi suggested, "or the nurse."

Ichi shook his head as he slipped out of Haruhi's grasp, finally getting out of the fountain. He held his sleeve to his nose to halt the bleeding. "This…isn't something the school should know about." He said tired. He then paused, "But we should inform someone…" He closed his eyes as if he had a headache, he probably did.

Then, suddenly, Ichi began to wobble, and slowly fell to the ground. Haruhi gasped as she bent down to see if he was still conscious. "S-senpai!" She called.

"M-maybe, you…_should_ get someone." Ichi said weakly, leaning against the fountain. "I'm starting to go…light headed…"

"I'll go get the nurse!" Haruhi said, louder then necessary, panic was slowly engulfing her.

"No…no." Ichi slightly shook his head as he closed his eyes tightly, as if trying to concentrate. "The school…shouldn't know about this. I'll call my…bodyguard. He can come pick me up and…drive me to the hospital."

"Are you sure?" Haruhi questioned, believing the nurse here would be a better idea.

"Yeah," Ichi answered, "I think I'm able to stay conscious for twenty or so more minutes." He checked if he was still bleeding, "I just need to find my phone…Hopefully those bastards didn't steal it."

Haruhi looked around and noticed the desired cellular not too far away. She quickly retrieved it and handed it to the third year. He gladly accepted it and dialed a consecutive number. After a slight pause, the other line answered.

"Hey." Ichi greeted. "Do you think you could pick me up? There was another attack." Pause. "It's just a few cuts and scratches, no broken bones…" He smirked, "I'm pretty sure I don't have a concussion." Pause. "Oh come on, have a sense of humor." Pause. "I'll try. Later." Click, the conversation ended.

Ichi sighed amusingly as he laid back, covering his eyes with his hands. Haruhi tilted in her head in mild confusion. "Are you okay senpai?" She asked, questioning why he was so calm after such dramatic events.

"Yeah…" He answered. "Sorry for dragging you into this. It's probably too heavy for someone as innocent as you."

Haruhi truly respected the fact that Ichi didn't like involving her in his drama. The Host club always wanted to do things together and share everything. Ichi meanwhile, was much more serene, tranquil even. "You don't need to apologize senpai." Haruhi said, "I'm not really involved, I just help you in the aftermath."

Ichi chucked lightly, "I guess that's true. You always pull me out from the water before I double over for good." His humor was questionable…

"If you don't mind me asking…" Haruhi began, her curiosity getting the better of her, "Why _are_ you getting attack?"

At first Ichi frowned, as if disapproving the question, but then he smiled gently, as if at ease. "Money." He answered.

"Money?" Haruhi echoed accidently. It made sense, Ichi got into Ouran with money, some people need money. The statement was just a reflex.

"Yeah." He sighed, tired. "I was selfish, now karma's taking its cruel toll. I do deserve it…in some way. Hopefully they'll give up soon…"

Haruhi somewhat didn't believe it. Ichi being selfish? She couldn't imagine it. From what she had seen, there was nothing selfish about him. It made her question his life outside of school. What did he do away from the academy? Bet on sports games? Gamble illegally? Con people? Such negative things, but it was all that was coming to mind.

Then, suddenly, Ichi growled, as if annoyed. He swore under his breathe, then hauled himself up effortlessly. "Go back to your club Haruhi." Ichi said, anger detected in his voice. "Innocence can easily be corrupted."

"But you're still bleeding senpai." Haruhi informed, noticing it wasn't only his nose that was leaking the red ooze.

"I'm a grown man." He hissed, then looked like he regretted. He turned his back to Haruhi. "I can take care of myself."

"But–"

"Look Haruhi," Ichi cut off, unusually harshly. "I enjoy your presences, truly I do. But I'm not in the proper condition or mood to take your caretaking with appreciation. Not only that, I so pissed off right now, I'm ready to attack someone myself, but I'm not sure what course I'd take…" He shook his head, as if regaining his point, "Go back to your little club, pick one of them, and pray I don't heal quickly."

Ichi then left, not a wobble or limp in his step.

Haruhi stayed behind, somewhat stunned by his words and sudden change in attitude. There were so many significant statements within his speech, she didn't know where to start.

'Innocence can easily be corrupted'. Obviously he was speaking of her. Ichi was always commenting on how innocent Haruhi was. The corruption must be him. From a witness's point of view, his life didn't seem very…peachy. From all those attacks, no one could blame him for loosing his temper a few times. But, would that anger really take a toll on Haruhi? Or maybe Ichi was speaking of something else. Like his 'impulses'. Did he lust for Haruhi to a point where it could be considered sinful, therefore corruptful?

'I enjoy you presences'. A statement that made Haruhi's heart flutter lightly at the thought of it. To know Ichi like her being around was comforting. He was always so…_Ichi_ it was difficult to see his true emotions on matters. He tended to smirk, tended to mumble, and tended to ignore. The farthest emotion she had seen from his smugness was anger. To hear he liked Haruhi near by, to hear that somewhere in Ichi, he was smiling whenever they were together, was a warm feeling.

'I'm not sure what course I'd take'. A strange statement indeed. Obviously it was a mumble said too loud. That could easily be said by the way Ichi trailed off, and shook his head to regain his proper thoughts. So, what did he mean? Sure, there were different ways to attack, with or without weapons, secretly, full force, direct, 'accidental', the list went on. But, from the way he said it, Haruhi had the uncanny feeling that wasn't what he meant…

Lastly, 'Go back to your little club, pick one of them, and pray I don't heal quickly'. The most confusing and questioning statement of them all. Haruhi didn't understand what he meant by it. First off, Ichi seemed to truly dislike the Host club, why send Haruhi there if he liked her? Why tell her to 'pick one of them' when he didn't like them? Was he trying to push her away? 'Pray I don't heal quickly', the most confusing part. Did he seriously mean that? Maybe _he_ didn't want to heal quickly. Maybe he wanted to have the handicap so he wouldn't pull off some stunt that could land him in a heap of trouble.

Maybe Ichi was repressing his feelings…

/~\

Tamaki was pacing around the Third music room in both worry and fear.

He was worried over what Haruhi could be doing, and fearing what could be happening. He was also worried if she was still angry at him, and fearing if she wouldn't show up today. He hoped, truly hoped, that Haruhi would appear so he could apologize. He was sorry! He really was! It was just–all fathers are protective over their daughters, especially when boys came into context, _especially_ when that boy was Ichi.

That name was skin crawling. There was something about Ichi that automatically sent a shiver down Tamaki's spine. Although he was sorry for what he said, he still thought negatively of the smug third year. He was so…icky. An immature description, but oh so true. His name seemed to automatically chill the bones and cause goose bumps all over the body.

Then, the King's thoughts were cut short as the Host club doors opened, revealing Hikaru and Kaoru, speaking amidst themselves, and Haruhi, looking up in thought.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki called as he ran to embrace her, extremely happy that she had attended. The female host took the embrace with a straight face, similar to yesterday, but said nothing. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday." Tamaki apologized. "You right were, I shouldn't have judge Ichi like I did."

Haruhi snapped back to reality at the mention of Ichi. "That's good." She smiled. "I'm glad to see you had a change in heart."

Tamaki felt at ease seeing his daughter's smile. She was so cute… "I've been thinking…" He then said, stepping away from Haruhi to address the entire club, "Maybe we _should_ spend time with Ichi."

"But Tono!" Hikaru and Kaoru called out, disapproving.

Tamaki shook his head at their outburst. "He probably doesn't have many friends," He mused, "We should make him feel welcomed."

Hunny nodded as he clutched Usa-chan. "Ichi does seem really lonely." It was true, the two senior Hosts had seen the mysterious third year wondering about the school alone several times without a purpose.

"Perfect!" Tamaki exclaimed.

"Is he even still here?" Kaoru questioned, accenting the fact that Ichi might have gone home.

"School ended only a little while ago." Tamaki stated, smiling triumphantly, "He should still be on campus."

"I'd advise against that." Kyoya informed, pushing up his glasses, "Going on a wild goose chase looking for Ichi wouldn't be a good idea. It's both a waste of time and energy. It's best to wait for him to show himself."

The Host club nodded at the idea, finding it smart.

/~\

The seven hosts peered around the corner cautiously.

They had found Ichi two days after the discussion. He was staring at a framed piece of art in the hallway. He was easily approachable, but…he was radiating the most menacing aura. It seemed like if someone dared to talk to him, he'd rip their head off. Haruhi, on the other hand, didn't see what the boys were. Ichi was just looking at art. Very intently she might add, but not menacingly.

"_What should we do_?" Hikaru whispered to Tamaki, afraid of being heard by the mysterious third year.

"_I'm not sure_." Tamaki whispered back, also afraid of being caught.

Haruhi rolled her eyes as she walked out from behind the corner. They were so pathetic, just talk to the man, he wasn't going to hurt anyone.

"_Haruhi_!" Tamaki quietly exclaimed, worried over her well-being.

"Hey senpai." The female host greeted, standing next to Ichi.

The third year didn't reply. He continued to stare at the artwork, oblivious.

"Senpai." Haruhi called, attempting to bring him back to reality.

Ichi looked at her sidelong. He reverted his attention back to the art until he double took, realizing who was next to him. "Oh Haruhi." He said with mild realization, "Sorry, I didn't notice you at first. I was a bit lost in my thoughts…"

"It's okay." Haruhi smiled, "I see you're bruises are healing nicely." She said, noticing his black eye was missing.

"Actually…" Ichi mused, resting his fingers just below his eye, "It's still pretty bad, I just have stuff on it. I guess Aki was right, no one noticed…"

"Ah Ichi!" Tamaki rudely cut in, destroying the nice conversation.

"What?" He growled, unusually harshly, scaring the King silly.

"N-nothing." Tamaki stuttered, "W-we just wanted to say hello."

"_Goddamn those eyes_." Ichi muttered under his breathe. "Okay, okay, sorry." He shook his head as he spoke, "What do you need?"

Before Tamaki could reply, the twins pushed him to the side and answered. "We were wondering what you were doing tomorrow." Tomorrow being Saturday.

Ichi eyed the two red heads for a few seconds, it looked like he didn't trust them. "…I'm going to the aquarium with Toki." He then finally answered.

A few of the Host club members lit up, they had never been to an aquarium before.

"Maybe we could tag along." Tamaki proposed, hoping to sway the third year.

Ichi frowned slightly, then glanced at Haruhi, who met his gaze for those few seconds. He sighed and shook his head again, "If you tone down the cheeriness, then sure. Why not?" The Host club cheered as Ichi slumped. "Please tell me your coming Haruhi." He mumbled to her as the boys raved on tomorrow.

"They'll probably drag me along even if I say no." Haruhi replied with a shrug.

"I respect how you deal with them so calmly." Ichi complimented. "I'd probably snap if I had to deal with them everyday. You're a pretty strong person."

"Thanks." Haruhi smiled, enjoy Ichi's words.

"If you don't mind me asking Ichi," Kyoya directed to Ichi, destroying another nice conversation. "But if you tell me your address, we could pick up you and Toki." It was less of an offer, and more of a trap. Kyoya wanted to know where the third year lived.

Ichi looked at Kyoya with cold eyes. He was either stalling, or thinking about it. "Seems like a nice enough deal…" He mumbled.

\-/

_Ichi rolled to his side, hiding under the covers of the bed, attempting to block out the sun. It was dawn, and his bedroom window always received the first glint of morning. He had been up all night, and he just wanted to sleep for at least an hour._

"_I~chi~" Aki cooed, resting slightly on the student._

"_What?" He questioned, annoyed Aki was starting a conversation._

"_How long have we known each other?"_

"…_Seventeen days." Ichi answered flatly, hoping it would satisfy. _

"_How long have we been together?" Aki persisted._

"…_Fifteen days."_

"_How long have we had sex?"_

"_Seventeen days…What's your point?" Ichi questioned, wondering what Aki was trying to get at._

"_I wanted to know if we could say 'I love you' yet."_

_Ichi couldn't help but laugh, finding Aki amusing. "I've already told you I love you." He said, smirking slightly._

"_Did you mean it?" Aki smirked back, their slyness beginning to rub off on another's._

"_Of course." Ichi lied, pulling in Aki for an embrace. He looked at the clock. "But we'll have to cut this short, I need to get ready."_

_Ichi got out of bed as Aki mumbled something incomprehensible._

_The couple looked at each other until one kindly gave the finger.

* * *

_

l  
l  
\/


	4. f o u r

Chapter 4

Kyoya knocked on the door, and muffled voices were heard on the other side. It opened, and the Host club had to look down to Toki, who was looking up at them both innocently and excited.

"Ichi nii-chan!" She called smiling, "They're here!"

"_Wonderful…_" Was heard deeper into the apartment, "_Might as well let them in…_"

Toki motioned the Host club in, and they examined Ichi's household. If anything, it was bland. There were a few works of art to decorate the empty walls, pieces of furniture, many in one room, few in others, a kitchen, with an island in the middle, baring a few barstools. Besides the norm, nothing proved the fact that Ichi was rich.

"Sorry about the delay." Was heard from a back room in which Ichi appeared from. "I was up all night so I wasn't thinking clearly for the last few hours."

The notorious trio was horrified at how comfortable Ichi was with strutting about without his shirt on with company around. They covered Haruhi's eyes so she wouldn't be corrupted by his body. They left the room to another, pulling her along with them. Ichi took no kind to their actions, and continued to dry his hair.

"Didn't I inform you what time we'd arrive?" Kyoya questioned.

"Yeah but…" Ichi rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I was up all night. I got less then an hour of sleep…"

"What were you doing?" Hunny asked, interested.

"We were having the best-est sleepover with Aki-chan!" Toki informed, "We played all sorts a games, and watched all sorts a movies!" The remaining Host club members questioned who Aki-chan was, but assumed it was one of Toki's friends, due to how highly she was speaking of her. "I didn't fall asleep 'til 2AM!"

"Is Aki still here?" Kyoya questioned.

"No." Was Ichi's immediate reply, "Left an hour ago." He stretched, then yawned.

"There's no need to rush." Kyoya stated, smiling a business smile, "We can just quietly sit around as you take your time."

Ichi looked at Kyoya, probably thinking about the offer. He yawned, "Sure, why not?" He agreed tired, "So long as nobody–" There was a sudden crash, and he slumped, "–breaks anything."

Ichi, Toki, and the three remaining Host members went to the room the crash seemed to come from. They peered in to see Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi, looking at a broken flower vase in disbelief. Ichi growled, and the notorious trio began freaking out.

"It was these devilish twins!" Tamaki immediately accused.

"That's a lie!" Hikaru and Kaoru contradicted, "It was all Milord's fault!"

"_You_ bumped into _me_!" The king stated.

"Because _you_ were hogging Haruhi!" The Twins informed.

Ichi shot them a cold glare, ultimately shutting them up. He approached, scaring the trio into the corner, afraid of what he would do. But instead of punishment, he bent down, and sadly caressed the dying Forget-me-nots.

"_Sorry Akira…_" Ichi whispered.

Toki gasped, as if just noticing the seriousness of the matter. "Ichi nii-chan!" she exclaimed, "That's–!"

"Yeah." He confirmed sadly, nodding ever so slightly.

Toki fumed and stomped over to the trio, frozen in the corner. "You need to take re-spon-sa-bil-ity for your actions!" She shouted, "That was Ichi nii-chan's special vase and special flowers!"

"They're just flowers…" Kaoru muttered under his breathe.

"That may be true." Ichi said, hearing the younger twin's murmur, "I will be getting more next Saturday but, the vase was quiet important. It was a gift."

"It's just a vase right?" Hikaru said, "Can't you replace it?"

"_If_ you were listening," Ichi shot, obviously pissed off, "you would know it was a _gift_, and therefore irreplaceable. Not only that, it was an _antique._" A few members froze at the word antique.

Antique meant expensive.

Kyoya stepped forward, "I'm sorry for the trouble they caused." He apologized, "I understand it was irreplaceable, but perhaps we could afford to buy a new one. How much did it cost?"

Rubbing his temples, Ichi closed his eyes in concentration. "Last time I checked…5,500,000 Yen."

All the Hosts stiffened, even though they were rich, they didn't just hand out that kind of money in apology.

Kyoya went to explain the situation, but Ichi started before him, "Yeah I know," He said, "handing out that kind of cash will land you in trouble. It's partly my fault anyway…" The Host club assumed he would say because he let them in, but he didn't, "I should have kept it on a sturdier table so it wouldn't have toppled so easily…"

Haruhi's respect for Ichi rose ever higher. He was handling the situation so appropriately. He wasn't lashing out, screaming, attacking, or even blaming. He was just…taking it in. It seemed like it didn't want to trouble them, something very admirable when it came to a 5,500,000 Yen vase. He wasn't even asking for a favor! The Host club forced Haruhi to work off her debt, Tamaki and the Twins only got a lecture from Toki.

"I suppose I could fix it…" He mumbled, picking up the flowers, "The pieces are pretty big…" He sighed, "_Akira'll have my head_." He shook his head for a few seconds before mumbling something about the vase, and then left. With one last huff, Toki followed suit.

The Host club stood there in silence, looking at the scattered pieces.

"We need to do something about this." Kyoya stated, grabbing the Host club's attention. He didn't want to give Ichi the opportunity to hang this over his head.

"But what?" Tamaki asked, still a bit jumpy. The Host club thought about it.

What could Ichi desire?

Haruhi couldn't believe how complex the boys were being. "Just give Ichi-senpai a few favors." She stated, "They'll probably be simple anyway."

Before the Host club could agree, Ichi and Toki reentered the room. Ichi was now fully clothed and had a nonchalant tie on. He draped a cloth over the vase pieces. "Let's not worry about this now." He said, "I'll deal with it later."

"We're truly sorry Ichi." Tamaki said, regaining his kingly charm, "If there's anything we could help with, simply ask."

Ichi looked at him, after a few seconds he said, "Sure. I'll keep that for a rainy day." A shiver went down Tamaki's spine, not liking the way Ichi said that.

"Can we go now?" Toki asked, tugging on Ichi's hand.

"Yeah." He confirmed. The Host club instantly perked up.

Finally, to the aquarium!

/~\

"That was so fun!" Toki exclaimed, jumping out of the limo.

Ichi exited slowly, covering his eyes in, probably, shame. "_And_ _I thought they'd be subtle_…" He mumbled.

Kyoya, Mori and Hunny emerged from one limo as Haruhi, Hikaru, Kaoru and Tamaki emerged from the other. Due to the fact there was nine patriots today, it was necessary to have two cars. Toki had taken the ride in excitement, bouncing about and staring out the windows with wide grins. Ichi took the trip in quiet and, what seemed to be, embarrassment. The two were polar opposites, it was amazing how they clashed so well.

A few members cheered at the arrival to the aquarium, excited to part take in the commoner lifestyles. Toki was bubbly, but not as thrilled as in the limo. Mori, Haruhi, Ichi, and Kyoya, were unmoved by the museum of fish.

"This is going to be a long day…" Haruhi murmured under her breath, sighing. She was then pulled into line to begin the journey.

While waiting for their turn to but their tickets, Toki turned to Ichi. "Aren't you excited Ichi nii-chan?!" She questioned. She opened and closed her mouth in a biting motion dramatically, as if mimicking a type of animal.

"Extremely." The third year smiled back.

"What are you talking about?" Hunny asked, curious.

"They have a shark exhibit today!" Toki exclaimed, now turning hyper. "They have all sorts a ones. But the best-est one is the great white shark!" She made a drastic sound effect to amplify her meaning.

Now Hunny was frantic, and the two began raving on how cool the shark would be. Ichi and Mori looked down to their lovely items and smiled, then looked up at each other and nodded for some reason. The on looking first and second years questioned what, if anything, just happened.

"_Next in line please_!" Was heard from a girl behind the counter.

Toki pulled Ichi to the girl. The Host club stayed behind, for even though they were a group, the third year wasn't willing to pay for them and vise versa. The club was then called, and Haruhi did her best to guide the Rich men through the process.

The seven quickly met up with the two and became nine. But the nine was split into five and four. Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Hunny, and Toki were ecstatic to see the shark, turning more frantic as they approached the main exhibit room. Kyoya, Mori, Haruhi, and Ichi were interested, but not desperate to see the predatory fish.

When the nine made it to the main hall, the five were captivated by the large tank. There was a crowd surrounding it, but it slightly dispersed at the Host club's appearance. The teenaged women and young mothers were instantly allured by their charm. It was something the club used to their advantage by get up and close to the glass.

The four, now three for Mori accompanied Hunny, hung back as they observed the animal. It was impressive no doubt, definitely intimidating.

"Aren't you interested in the shark Haruhi?" Kyoya questioned, pushing up his glasses.

"I'd rather not get involved in that crowd." Haruhi answered, accenting the people surrounding the tank. "What about you Ichi-senpai?" She questioned.

The third year didn't reply, like usual. He was staring into space, looking intent.

"Senpai…" Haruhi called, nudging him.

"Hmm? What?" Ichi was snapped back to reality. "Oh sorry, I was just thinking…" He trailed off, probably back to space.

"About what?" Haruhi asked, trying to keep him in reality.

"I was just wondering how the shark would react if I cut my finger." Ichi explained, not even looking at her. "Or rather, _if_ the shark would react. That glass is pretty thick, but a shark can smell blood up to a mile away…But, if it did react, how would the staff? God knows an aggregated great white isn't something to mess with. But, then again, that glass is thick, and the tank leads down to another level. Would they close the exhibit? Maybe…"

His thoughts were questionable. Just like the rest of him.

"Ichi nii-chan!" Toki called from her position near the rest of the Host club. She motioned him over and he complied, leaving Haruhi with Kyoya.

"He's…interesting." Kyoya stated, taking mental notes.

Haruhi simply nodded in agreement, not noticing that when Kyoya said 'Interesting' he meant 'Strange'. Ichi was quite interesting. His thoughts were odd, but contagious. His voice was always so calming, even when he was annoyed. He was rather handsome. Whoa! Wait, _handsome_?! Did Haruhi seriously just think of him like that? Well…he _was_ pretty attractive. He had looks and charms rivaling with the Host club's. Why hadn't she noticed before? She was probably so used to being surrounded by the Host club 24/7, she must have been immune to him.

Then, suddenly, Tamaki popped up and grabbed Haruhi's hands. "C'mon on Haruhi!" He exclaimed, dragging her after the Host club. "There's this other room with a 'touch tank' in it!"

The king continued to rave on and on making Haruhi frown. She couldn't help but feel that the Host club will cause a scene.

/~\

"It feels so cool!"

So far, the Host club had been successfully in not causing a racket. They grasped the concept of a touch tank quite quickly, something new for them since they always over complicate and/or exaggerate things. The five had obviously partook, rubbing the various starfish, shellfish, small eels, and baby stingrays. Three out of the four also engaged in the tank activity: Mori, encouraged by Hunny, Haruhi, to shut the notorious trio up, and Ichi, to satisfy Toki's pleas.

Kyoya, of course, declined. Claiming he'd prefer not.

"This is fun, eh Hunny-kun?" Toki asked, smiling happily.

"Yeah!" Hunny ho-heartedly agreed.

As the two lovely items continued to rave on the funny sensations, Haruhi noticed there was something off in the usual numbers. "Where's Ichi-senpai?" She asked, making the notorious trio curse under their breath. The plan to distract Haruhi from the third year was unsuccessful.

"Ichi nii-chan's talking to Nakano-san." Toki informed, occasionally giggling at the bumpy feeling of the starfish, while simultaneously pointing to the North-East corner on the far side of the room.

Her statement was true. There, the Host club saw Ichi talking to a familiar face. It was his bodyguard from the Amusement park. Had he been following them the whole time? Creepy…They were unable to tell what the conversation was concerning, due to the large gap between the groups, but, even with the distance, they could tell it was something unsettling. Ichi was usually calm, unmoved, but something had been said that made his hands start to shake. He nervously went for a bottle of water, strapped to one of his belt hoops.

The bodyguard did nothing to calm him done but speak more, mostly likely explaining the situation further. After a few moments, the two nodded at each other, and separated, Ichi returning to the group, and the body guard leaving to another room.

Upon returning, the third year still seemed shaken. Haruhi could see his hands twitching ever-so-slightly. He acted like those last few minutes did not happen, but he still seemed a bit paranoid.

"Are you boys satisfied yet?" Ichi questioned. If he was nervous, he voice definitely wasn't exposing it.

"Eh?" The twins questioned. The Host club didn't understand what he was trying to say.

The third year sighed, and mumbled something under his breath. "Can we move on yet?" He reworded. The boys and two girls nodded, yeah, they were done. "Great." He said in a tone that was difficult to label sarcasm or not.

Toki then said the group should enjoy the rest of the aquarium, and, as Ichi put it, get their money's worth, a new phrase for the Host club.

So, the journey began as the nine set off on the self-made tour of the fishy museum. They would crowd around one window at a time and stare into the tank, viewing the fish(s) that lived in it. They would watch it for a few moments, someone would comment on it, then they would move on. It sounded like a quick tour, but actually, some of the fish were quite mesmerizing. Its appearance would lure the Host club in like all the women who were nonchalantly following them. Eight of the nine followed this procedure.

Ichi, meanwhile, seemed to be in his own little world. He was lagging behind at least two windows, looking into the tank as if the secrets of the universe were somewhere within that habitat. He would stare for moments, barely blinking, and occasionally nodding for some reason.

With the thought of separation on her mind, Haruhi was constantly looking back to make sure Ichi was still there. There were times when she looked, the third year would glance at her sidelong, smile slightly, then turn back to the window. She found these events soothing, for his smile had a calming affect.

"Hey Ichi!" Hikaru called, somewhat annoyed. The third year slightly turned his head to accent the fact they had their attention. An unusual occurrence for it at least two tries to get Ichi's attention. "What's taking you so long?!"

Ichi turned back to the tank. "To appreciate one's fortune, one must observe other's misfortune." His words were deep, but misunderstood by the notorious trio. What misfortune could a fish hold? All it did was swim.

"Ichi nii-channnnnnn." Toki whined in a childish voice. "You're taking too long!"

"You need to learn to be patient." Ichi said back, not even moving.

Toki huffed, and stomped her foot. "You're slow! Kenta-kun is _way_ faster!"

Haruhi saw a jolt go through Ichi, and his eyes depicted extreme anger. He made a B-line for the child, safely picking up her by the collar. He glared fiercely at her, and growled words the Host club couldn't hear. Toki, not taking him seriously, only giggled, which made him sigh and cover his eyes in, what seemed to be, tiredness. He put her back down, "Let's move on."

The Host club quickly reacted to his words, and began the tour once again. Ichi and Toki lingered back as the third year mumbled something to the seven year old again. She only grinned widely, and stuck her tongue out at him. He growled, but did nothing else, probably too tired to deal with her. The two soon joined the rest, and Toki ran unto Hunny while Ichi hung back, frowning.

Haruhi looked back, and the thought of asking if he was okay entered her mind, but he didn't look like he was in the mood.

Tamaki approached the front of the pack to speak with the child, "Toki-chan," He said as brotherly as he could, "Did you…did you anger Ichi?" The thought of the third year anger sent chills up his spine.

It felt unusually awkward in the moments Toki thought about it. "I guess." She finally said with a shrug, "But it was funny." She grinned, "Making Ichi nii-chan mad is always funny." A few hosts disagreed with her statement, but didn't hold it against her. She was only seven, she was allowed to think such innocent thoughts, so long as she realized her mistakes within her later years.

Haruhi couldn't help but look back at Ichi again, it was becoming some sort of habit, possibly an addiction. He seemed less annoyed then before, but still a bit irritated. He seemed approachable, so she slowed her pace until she was side-by-side with her senpai. He looked at her sidelong, but said nothing. They stayed in silence for a few moments.

"Can I ask you something senpai?" Haruhi finally said.

Ichi, looking into a tank, blandly said, "Sure."

"Why did you agree to bring us along?"

He looked at her sidelong, as if waiting for an explanation behind the question.

"It's just…" Haruhi began, "The Host club usually causes scenes when doing normal stuff, and you seem like you don't like attention, so…_why_?"

Ichi smirked slightly. "I suppose it's because I feel superior around them. Not economically, or socially, but…" He rolled his hand, "It's difficult to explain to someone as innocent as you but…I guess the easiest way to say it is; I always feel on top around them."

"What about me?" Haruhi's words accidently slipped out. They were intended to be thought, not speech.

"What about you?" Ichi echoed. His small smirk turned into a gentle smile. "Well, when I'm around you, I'm at ease. You're very calming to be around. It makes me want to take you for myself, but I know as soon as I tried, I'd be stopped."

Haruhi felt a small blush spread across her face. She looked up and met with Ichi's warming smile, making her cheeks deepen in color. She couldn't help but smile back, his mood was contagious.

Kyoya, a short distance ahead, noticed the feelings flowing back and forth between Haruhi and Ichi. He smirked slightly, finding that the situation could be much more amusing.

"It seems Haruhi and Ichi are getting along well."

A jolt ran through the notorious trio. That statement brought on panic. If Haruhi got too friendly with _him_, bad things could happen. Bad, bad things! They must be stopped!

"Haruhi, there's this really weird fish–"

"Ichi, there's a description we don't understand–"

The two distractees frowned in disapproval, annoyed that another nice conversation had been lost. The female host played along for the sake of getting Tamaki off her back. Ichi allowed the twins to swing him away, either believing their lie, or dealing with it like he always did.

The notorious trio patted themselves on the back, proud they had halted Ichi and Haruhi's growing relationship. They knew that there was some sort of deep connection forming between the two. They were afraid they were losing their little girl to…to someone else! It wouldn't be allowed. Haruhi was surrounded with beautiful men all day, why was she intrigued by an outsider? She could choose any one of the Hosts, why go for…for a _nobody_?!

Why indeed. She had thought about it time and time again, but never came to a complete answer. Was it because Ichi was so unlike the Hosts? Or rather, he and she were so alike, there was an instant connection? Maybe, it was just how attractive and smooth he was? Perhaps pity from all the times he had been attacked?

"Ichi nii-chan!" Toki then suddenly whined, "I'm hungry!"

A few hosts realized they were hungry as well, and felt it necessary to share.

"Is there somewhere to eat in here?"

"No no, we've got to go to a commoner restaurant!"

"Could we get some dessert too?"

Haruhi sighed, finding the familiar situation much too tiring. It seemed like every time she went out with the Host club, they just _had_ to experience the commoner culture.

"Ramen!" Toki proclaimed, pulling on Ichi's arm. "Please Ichi nii-chan?"

"Can you boys agree to Toki's choice?" Ichi asked in a, somewhat, better mood then before. The Host club thought about it… "There's a noodle house down the block," He continued, probably attempting to convince. "It's pretty standard, or rather…'common'." His words were quite straight forward, but seemed to pluck the right strings.

"It will be the perfect place to dine!" Tamaki declared.

"You boys can handle a walk, right?" Ichi chuckled at his hidden humor.

/~\

"It's way too crowded out there." Hikaru instantly complained as he and company entered the noodle house.

"Did you expect less people on such a nice Saturday afternoon?" Ichi questioned as they made their way to a large table, able to hold all of them.

"We should've driven." Kaoru continued to complain, frowning slightly.

"People were crossing the street without caring." Haruhi stated with a shrug, "It would have taken longer if we drove." Toki and Hunny nodded at her statement.

The twins continued to grumble annoyed. Although the commoner's life was fun, and a new world, it could be quite bothersome at times, and tiring.

Then, suddenly, Hikaru and Kaoru noticed that, during their whining, Ichi had snagged the seat next to Haruhi! She was between _him_ and Kyoya, two people who were incapable of persuading to switch seats. They quietly growled, pissed off that that pompous jerk was so close. Things needed to be done to make sure he didn't get too chummy with _their _Haruhi.

They may not have realized, but the Twins were being unusually possessive. True, they were treating Haruhi as if she was an item, their toy to be more precise, but it was for the greater good. Ichi had waltzed in, and acted like he owned the place. This, of course, was not true, for he was only in the D class, the lowest linage of rich families in Japan. He was too smug and generally a bastard to be with Haruhi, she was too…too innocent.

When the waiter – to Tamaki's slight disappointment – arrived to take orders, everyone generally knew what they wanted. They ordered quickly, except for the youngest. Toki was shy, something new for the Host club. She twiddled her fingers as the waiter and Ichi did their best to help her along. The entire ordeal was cute, making the most of the Host club members want to hug, and/or pinch her cheeks.

"_Who'll be paying for this meal…?_" Ichi mumbled under his breath, leaning back in his chair.

"_At least I don't have to cook…_" Haruhi mumbled simultaneously.

"So Ichi," Kyoya then began, forcing the subject into conversation, "You seem familiar with the menu, have you been here before?"

"For both business and pleasure." The pompous third year said in a bored tone. "But mainly for business."

"Akira nii-chan said Ichi nii-chan's business is sad-is-em." Toki said, having difficulty with 'sadism'.

The girl's statement shocked basically everyone, even Ichi. They all turned to her, who was oblivious to her mistake. Did a seven year old seriously just say that?! She-she was _seven_! She was only a child! How did such a word land into her simple vocabulary?

"Akira nii-chan says Ichi nii-chan is only sa-disk-ic for fun." Toki continued, rocking on her chair, not giving any thought to her speech. "I dunno what sa-disk-ic means, but I think it means sad or somethin'. I think Akira nii-chan is lyin', 'cause he doesn't like Ichi nii-chan anymore. And 'cause you guys broke the vase, Akira nii-chan is gonna be _real_ angry."

Her words were bleak, raw, and a giant guilt trip. The Host club was having so much fun at the aquarium, they completely forgot about the 5,500,000 yen vase.

Haruhi snuck a look at Ichi, and saw that he was covering his eyes in, most likely, shame. His lips were moving, but she couldn't hear any mumbling or whispering. He must have been mouthing his curses, so Toki wouldn't hear. He then stood up, murmuring something about being back in a minute, then left the table.

The Host club looked at each other, they'd usually discuss the situation at this time, but with Toki around, all they did was sit in an awkward silence. She had began coloring on the paper with the crayons she was given. She was oblivious to what she had caused, just by speaking freely. She didn't seem to notice that the table had fallen silent, for she was humming to herself, and swinging her legs back and forth. The Host club looked at each other again, the thought of starting a conversation crossed their minds but…the _awkwardness_ was choking them.

"Bein' with you guys is real fun." Toki then said, breaking the silence.

The Host members looked at her in astonishment, amazed she had began a conversation.

"Even if Ichi nii-chan is fun," She continued, "You guys make it more fun. He's always talkin' to people 'bout stuff, and bein' all mean, but with you guys, he's more happy. He says you guys make things more 'ex-trav-e-gent' or somethin'. I think that's a good thing. I told Ichi nii-chan I like having you guys around, and he said he liked it too, but he had to be care-ful. I dunno what he's bein' care-ful about, you guys aren't mean or anythin', you're real nice."

Her words were cute, sweet, and questioning. They had closed another window to the mystery of Ichi, but opened a door. So he didn't _completely _hate them, that's good. But, why did he have to be careful? Did he think they were dangerous? Did they think he would expose something about himself? Maybe it was just relating to the vase, and he had to be careful with his belongings.

Haruhi, meanwhile, heard 'careful', and instantly connected it to the attacks. Perhaps he had to make sure the Host club wouldn't be involved in the crossfire. God knew that if the Host club, the elite of the elite of Ouran, got attacked, at least three police forces would be sent out to arrest the criminals. Ichi would probably be sued by Kyoya's family for the small fortune he had, then the rest of the club would never forgive him.

"Ne, Ichi nii-chan," Toki said, surprising the Host club of the third year's reappearance. "We're you talkin' to Hagashi-san?"

"Yeah," Ichi nodded, taking his seat, nonchalantly tracing a line across Haruhi's back, much to her surprise. "It seems there's been a revenue increase due to popularity growth. Must be the weather…"

Revenue increase…? "Do you own this restaurant Ichi?" Tamaki asked.

"Yeah." Ichi nodded slightly, "Bit of a…pet project of mine."

"You mean you brought us to your restaurant–" Kaoru began.

"–Just so we could increase your revenue?!" Hikaru finished.

It was true. After the Host club had entered, a crowd of women had suddenly appeared behind them, wanting a table as close as possible. The entire ordeal induced a 'self-made' lunch rush.

"Not exactly." Ichi concurred. "Toki wanted ramen, I asked if you boys wanted some, everyone agreed, my business project just happens to be down the block. Surely it was a coincident."

The twins gritted their teeth at the pompous third year. He was a complete bastard.

"If it makes you boys feel any better," Ichi then said, "I'll pay for lunch."

Either slowly or swiftly, a dagger of guilt pieced through the hosts simultaneously. The vase came to thought again. Even though they broke a 5,500,000 Yen and two certain first years were treating him rudely, Ichi was still being civilized by acting like a complete gentleman.

"That's very kind of you Ichi-senpai." Haruhi smiled.

"Thank you," He smiled back, "but it's just common curtsey, you boys _are_ my guests."

He always referred to them as 'boys'. Did he not get that they were just as old as him, maybe a couple years younger. He always smirked smugly whenever he said it too. He was so full of himself. He was, in no way, above them. He was below them. Exactly the reason he was in the D class. If he thought he stood a chance at winning Haruhi's heart, he was so, so wrong.

\-/

"_Hey Ichi!" Kenta called, "We're - heh heh, - going 'round town tonight. You in?"_

_Ichi never really understood why he hung out with Kenta. While people would call them friends, he would not. Friends liked each other, and he did not like Kenta. It was weird, and hard to distinguish what they were. He would say classmates, but it was more then that. He would say acquaintances, but they were more then that. What did you call someone you knew most of your life, but hated being around them? _

"_No thanks, I'm busy."_

"_Doin' what?" Kenta asked back._

_It always surprised him that Kenta was interested in his business. He never understood why, maybe the guy was just nosey? _

"_I'm taking Natsumi out."_

_Kenta laughed smugly, "She's hot! Hope you get lucky!" He slapped Ichi on the back and left._

_Ichi sighed. _

_Great, now he had to ask Natusmi out. Hopefully this wouldn't cost much…

* * *

_

A/N: proof read half, so if there are grammar/spelling mistakes, thats why.

Reviews would be heavenly, thank you.

-Lizninja


	5. f i v e

A/N: Special chapter…

Chapter 5

_Toki jumped at her older brother. "Akira nii-chan!" She laughed, hanging from his waist._

"_Welcome back Toki-chan." Akira greeted smiling down at her._

"_Guess what, guess what?!" The child said frantic._

"_What?"_

"_Ichi nii-chan broke Ojii-sans's vase!"_

_Ichi swore that fire spat out of Akira's back as soon as those words left Toki's mouth. He prepared himself by relaxing his shoulders, knowing a stiff back could result in whiplash._

"_You broke my Grandfather's vase?!!"_

_Leave it to Toki to blab a secret meant to stay quiet... "It was an accident." Ichi defended._

"_Accident?!"_

"_I had invited some guys over_–_"_

"_Is that it?! You're always inviting someone over!!"_

"_Akira if you would jus_–_"_

"_You sex fiend!"_

\-/

Sex fiend.

The thought had entered his mind again. It was something he had been thinking about a lot lately, due to the amount of free time he had. Was Akira trying to insult him? Or really believed that? The same questions roamed about his mind as he made his way to the Chairman's office for some odd reason.

Ichi couldn't think of why the Chairman would want to talk to him. He was a lowly D class student. He had no special status within the business world. What could the meeting be about? Did he break some rules? No, no, he had been good, no vices were committed.

When Ichi arrived at the office, he was motioned in by the secretary. She had a slightly shrill voice, making him dislike her. He took his seat on his side of the desk. The Chairman had yet to arrive, which Ichi found strange, why invite him here when the inviter wasn't? Well, it wasn't really invite, more like call. This wasn't a desired visit, something bad must being happening for Ichi couldn't think of something good he had done.

The Chairman then walked in, not apologizing for his lateness. He sat down and looked at Ichi intently, as if thinking.

"Azuma-san." He greeted.

"Mr. Suoh." Ichi replied. He got a questioning, yet intrigued, look from Suoh. Something he was used to when he didn't use honorifics. Thus was the influence of the West as a child. It stuck with you.

The two stayed silent for a few minutes. They stared at each other, Suoh, as if trying to figure Ichi out, and Ichi, rating Suoh. His voice was smooth, an instant 2. For his age, what seemed to be in the fifties, he was attractive, another 2, the fact that he was wearing white, and successfully pulling it off, an instant 3. 7 points altogether. Suoh was therefore acceptable, yet, because he was powerful, prohibited.

"It's come to my attention that you've been…attacked lately." Suoh stated.

Ichi cursed under his breath. Damn, they knew. "I apologize sir." He said, "I never intended for them–"

"There's no need for _you_ to be sorry." Suoh said, "_I'm_ the one who should apologize. I thought the security around the academy was better. But, I see now that we're lacking in some parts."

"Still…" Ichi said, "I feel responsible for what they're pulling off." He shook his head as he closed his eyes in shame, "I used to know them, they want my money…it's just…" He sighed, they were such jackasses.

"It's fine Amuza-san." Suoh said, leaning back in his chair, "You don't need to worry. I promise I'll step up security so this won't happen again."

Ichi doubted it slightly. Kenta and company may be idiots, but when it came to this sort of thing, they knew their stuff. "That's very kind of you sir." The student said, "I'm relived to hear that." It was a lie. If anything, the school knowing made him tenser.

"If there's anything I can do to make up for this mistake," Suoh said persuasively, "just ask."

"I'd appreciate if we kept this quiet." Ichi said. "I don't want this to be the talk of the school."

Suoh nodded, "I understand com–"

Before the Chairman could get his entire sentence out, the doors to the office swung open to reveal Suoh's offspring, otherwise known as Tamaki, the blonde fool.

"Otou-san!" The blonde yelled, "What is this about Ichi being attacked?!"

The third year smacked his head in irony. God only knew how Tamaki found out, but Ichi knew it was bad. He didn't know the fool as much as the rest of the school, but from observation, he deduced that Tamaki wasn't the brightest crayon in the box. Something about him called out to Ichi that said 'I don't think before I speak'. He didn't know how true that was, but he usually followed his assumptions.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Tamaki." Suoh said seriously.

The offspring then noticed Ichi, and was probably embarrassed by his outburst on said third year. "T-then…" He began, "Why is Ichi here?!"

"I check up on all my students with a more…rural background." It was a rude description, but, for now, accepted. "I'll be checking in with Haruhi as well."

Ichi was unmoved by the name, but slightly more cautious. He couldn't tell if Suoh was bluffing or not. Either way, he didn't like Haruhi being spoken to about the situation. It was a private matter, a giant pain in the ass, but private nonetheless.

The student cursed under his breath again. He was dreading the fact that Tamaki knew, for, if Tamaki knew, the rest of the Host club probably did. Although Ichi did enjoy being around the Host club, in more ways then one, they were much too cheery for him. Toki was his pint of cheer, so without her, it was difficult to keep up with the hosts. They were always so bouncy and excited over the simplest things.

How Haruhi kept up with them, he didn't know.

\-/

"_Most other students–"_

_The window then caught Ichi's eye. He nodded and smiled as the twin continued to talk, faking that he was listening. The weather was more important._

"_I hope it doesn't rain today…"_

_He had brought the motorcycle today, and getting caught in the rain while cycling wasn't fun. _

_Ichi glanced at Haruhi. The kid had saved his life, he should do something nice. But, what? There was something off about Haruhi. Ichi wasn't judgmental, but he didn't seem like the usual guy. He wasn't soft like the normal uke, but he wasn't badass like the rare finds._

_Haruhi seemed like…a girl._

_He'd say Haruhi was gay but…no uke was blunt. Such an usual personality, one that intrigued Ichi quite so. He was all about variety, never did he mind a new flavor. Who knows? Perhaps Haruhi could be 'the one'._

"_How did you end up at the pool?"_

_Ichi was then brought back to reality._

\-/

He walked down the hallway slowly.

He tended to wonder the halls for he had no real hobby. Or at least, one that was appropriate. He would attempt to join a club, but he wasn't really into the whole, 'team effort' thing. He was more solo. The thought of attending the Host club occasionally entered his mind, but he was never willing to follow through. Not only that, he would only be able to go so long without…falling into habit.

But, Ichi didn't mind just roaming about the school. The works of art intrigued him, the gardens soothed him, and the students amused him. It was hard to go an hour without a questioning glance his way. It's not like he was any different then the rest of them, he wore the same uniform. He could only guess because he was being talked about behind his back. He didn't mind, none of them really knew him, what could they be talking about?

Oh wait…the attacks.

He knew that he asked the Chairman to keep it quiet, but…The Host club knew. If they knew, did the rest of the school? He'll have to have a talk with them about privacy…

He suddenly felt a familiar sensation on his thigh. His phone was vibrating.

Sarcasm took over his voice as he said, "I wonder who that could be."

He rolled his eyes as he took out the cellular, not to be surprised by who was calling. #1 Jackass, otherwise known as his father.

With more sarcasm, he mumbled, "To answer, or not to answer…"

For fun, he flipped open the phone, but didn't say a word.

"_Okay Ichi,_" His father spoke, depression sensed in his voice. "_You've won, just…can you plea–_"

He shut his phone so the sob story couldn't continue. If there was at least one thing he knew about his father, it was that he never admitted defeat. Not only that, the drunk never had proper manners, he wouldn't say please to save his life. It was probably an act set by Kenta to lure him into a vulnerable state. Ichi should be more careful for the next few days, put another lock on the door and maybe a longer pin code…

Suddenly, the Thirst came over him. He went for one of the two bottles strapped to his pants. He drank frantically in hope to drown the dying need. After a few gulps, he was satisfied enough to breathe regularly.

The Thirst, as he called it, had died down lately. He didn't get it as much a few weeks ago, and it took less water to calm him down. He never did understand what it was, it was worrisome, but not worthy of a doctors visit. He already had the medicine, what else could be done? Perhaps he got dehydrated easily or something around those lines. As long as he had water with him, that's all he cared about.

"–Enpai."

A voice was next to him…Haruhi's. How long had Ichi been standing there? He dove in and out of thought constantly, for things brought up in conversation struck ideas in his mind.

"–Npai!" A finger prodded his arm.

"Oh," He almost forgot, "Haruhi, sorry about that I was just thinking…" …Oh yeah, "I've been meaning to ask you–Has the chairman called you to his office lately?"

"The chairman…?" Haruhi echoed, looking up in thought. "No." She said, shaking her head. Ichi felt a swift wave of relief. "Why?"

"He recently called me…" Ichi explained, something he didn't usually do. Was he feeling chatty? Or was it because he was talking to Haruhi? He shook his head slightly, regaining focus, "He said something about checking up on his more 'rural' students. _Bigot bastard_." He mumbled, "He actually mentioned you so…I was curious." He shrugged out of habit.

Haruhi shrugged herself, "The Chairman is a bit…off."

Off? He didn't seem like it. In fact, Suoh seemed like a good man, fierce, strong, and understanding. Maybe there was a hidden side behind the firm outlook of the Chairman…

\-/

_He watched his little bundle of joy run to the skeeball area. Oh, how he loved that child. _

_He smiled at how little caused Toki joy. He honestly believed she was one of the few things that made him smile, not smirk._

"_Why are you smiling like that?" Haruhi asked, surprising him. How did people sneak up on him like that? He really should focus more. _

_He looked at her and his once-in-a-while smile faded to his usual frown. "Unexplainable humor." Popped out of his mouth for some reason. Did he not want to share his little secret that wasn't really secret worthy?_

_She looked at him in a way that seemed to say she wanted an explanation. He just continued to frown. Could it be that his face just naturally frowned? It's not like he always depressed, he was just…something. _

"_Toki really seems to bring out the best of you." Haruhi said._

_His smile quickly returned, just by hearing the child's name. _

\-/

"Um…excuse me!"

A voice was calling out. He looked South-east of him to where it came from, seeing three girls he didn't know. They were first years, he could tell. They had that look in their eyes.

"Yes?" Ichi answered, "Do you need something?"

One girl, blushing slightly, stepped forward. "Are you Ichi Azuma?"

How did they know his name? Well, seeing how he was being talked about throughout the school, he'd imagine some students knew his name. But…why were they talking to him? "Yeah, that's me."

The girls squealed with delight, clapping and giggling. They were cute. Cute as in childish. "Haruhi-kun never said you were handsome!"

Ever since Ichi found out Haruhi was a girl – second attack, toga, although it was loose, he could still see the curves of woman – he had been wondering why she was disguised as a guy. It must have been important, due to the fact that the Host club was keen on keeping it that way. But whatever, guy, girl, it didn't matter. He liked Haruhi anyway.

Suddenly, out of habit, his arm lifted, and his hand gently caressed one of the girls' hair. He had a tendency to touch or examine things that intrigued him. Her hair looked so angelic, he had no choice. "Sorry," He said out of habit as he leaned in, "but your hair is so beautiful."

The girl blushed harder as she hid her eyes. The other two pouted, "What about us Ichi-senpai?"

He never liked disappointing people, or at least, people of importance. He looked over them once, and quickly found their accenting features. "Well you–" He began, addressing the middle girl, "You have such wonderful eyes." He cupped her face and tilted her head up out of pure habit. The girl deepened in color, from a pink to hard red.

"A-and me senpai?" The last girl asked, already blushing fiercely.

"You," He said, releasing the middle girl and approaching the last. "You dear girl, have a magnificent voice." He pulled her in close out of habit. It was a bad, bad habit, one he needed to break…

All the girls flushed, and Ichi quickly realized his abrupt mistake. He let go of the girl and stepped back, brushing off his jacket like that didn't just happen.

"So…" He said, adjusting his tie, "Was there something you needed?"

The girls nodded. "We wanted to meet you!" They giggled. "Haruhi-kun is always talking about you."

Haruhi talked about him? How flattering.

\-/

"_Hopefully they'll give up soon…"_

_Hopefully. Kenta was such a jackass. All of the attacks were not only painful, frustrating, and life threatening, they were definitely illegal. Should he call the police or not…?_

_He glanced over at Haruhi. Damn she was cute, but prohibited. He was in a 'committed' relationship, even if Aki flirted more then he did. But…just…damn! She was so…so innocent. Something not easily found. _

_He growled. Committed relationship. Committed! "Goddamn." He cursed under his breathe. He hauled himself up from his position on the ground "Go back to your club Haruhi." He said, hiding resistance with anger. "Innocence can easily be corrupted."_

"_But you're still bleeding senpai."_

"_I'm a grown man." He hissed, then regretted it. Haruhi shouldn't be talked to like that. He turned his back to her so he would have to look at those eyes. "I can take care of myself."_

"_But–"_

"_Look Haruhi," He cut in, "I enjoy you're presence, truly I do…"_

\-/

It was dark.

It was wet.

He wasn't breathing.

He couldn't find the strength to…to get up. What happened? He couldn't think straight. All he knew was that…if he didn't get up, bad things would happen. What bad things? He couldn't recall. Get up. Get up!

Suddenly, he was lifted up. He coughed out the water that was in his…every where. But, just as suddenly, he was shoved back into the water. What was happening? Bad things were.

Gurgle gurgle, cough cough, hack hack. Choke.

The process continued over and over. Dunk, surface, dunk, surface.

"Sto–" Water. "Stop do–" More water. "This you bas–" Too much water…

\-/

"_To appreciate one's fortune, one must observe other's misfortune." _

_He had been watching the Host club for awhile. While they were fortunate, he had learnt they were ignorant. They didn't seem to grasp the concept that everyday things were normal things. They took the simplest things and turned it into some amazing experience. _

_He was glad he knew the common acts of society. _

"_Ichi nii-channnnnnn." Toki whined like the seven year old she was. "You're taking too long!"_

"_You need to learn to be patient." He said, then kicked himself mentally for not saying 'Patience in a virtue.'_

_Toki huffed and stomped her foot, a sign she was close to a tantrum. "You're slow! Kenta-kun is _way_ faster!"_

_His vision then went red. How _dare_ she mention that bastard! _

\-/

The Thirst.

It burnt in his throat. He–he needed water. Oh, oh god, please, give him water!

He shot up from the bed he was laying on. How did he end up in bed? He was surrounded by curtains, white curtains with faint silhouettes behind them. Where was he? He couldn't remember.

When he tried to speak at first, his throat was too dry, so nothing was said. On the second attempt it came out scratchy. "Wah-ter." On the third try, it was a bit clearer. "C-can I get some water please?"

The silhouettes seemed to turn to him. Three stayed in place while one picked up something and approached. The curtain was drawn back, exposing sun, temporally blinding him. With eyes closed, he held out his hand, which was filled with a cup, he felt the weight of the water. He pressed the rim to his lips and sipped, gulping down frantically.

He knew it was stupid, but he felt that whenever the Thirst came over him, he would die if he didn't drink anything. His hands would shake, his vision would go blurry, his heart would pound faster then ever. It was like he was having a seizure. Wait…did he have epilepsy? No, no, you don't just get epilepsy. It was something else, something he didn't quite understand. He just needed water. God what a pathetic way to die, dehydration…

Ichi took in a few breaths before speaking again. "Can I have some more?"

The cup was taken, he heard the sound of running water, then it was returned to him. He gulped it down desperately. Slowly but surely, it was soothing the sensation. He breathed in and out as he smiled satisfied. The Thirst was gone, and the symptoms had disappeared. He could see clearly now.

No one had yet to confront him, something he found off. He noticed that his jacket and tie were gone, so were his water bottles. He looked up to the ceiling, the roof was high, too high for any normal hospital. Whatever, he was better now. He couldn't feel any broken bones, nor the feeling of dripping blood, and nowhere was sore or in pain. He threw back the sheet covering him and hopped out of bed. He drew back the curtains to be greeted by two nurses and the Host club.

Well…no one really 'greeted' him per say. They just looked at him in shock and/or disbelief. He still couldn't recall what happened, but didn't care. According to the clock on the wall, it was 4:15. The guy to fix his dish washer was supposed to meet him at the apartment at 5. God knew it took long enough to get back, and repairs guys were always iffy on time…

"I'll need my stuff." He said seriously.

The other occupants of the room stayed in silence. He soon noticed his uniform, shoes, and bottles on a near by chair. He picked up the articles of clothing, not putting them on, but hooking the bottles. He checked the clock again, he could make it of he hurried…

"–Enpai!"

Haruhi was at his side, look of both anger and panic bestowed on her face. Her eyes were wide, yet her face was red. Ichi could have sworn she was close to screaming at him.

"What? What's wrong?" He didn't understand. He was fine.

"You can't just leave after what happened!"

What did happen? She was so wound up, he decided to play along, acting like he knew. He felt if he questioned what, she could go into more frantic. "I'm fine." He assured. "But I need to go." He glanced up at the Host club, they didn't exactly look happy with the way he was acting towards her. He sighed, he guessed he could call the guy another day. "_Fine_." He mumbled under his breath, dropping back onto the bed, releasing his processions.

Haruhi sat back down between the twins. The two glared at him with cold eyes, something Ichi found unnecessary. He was the one who was unconscious, yet _he_ was the bad guy? They never did seem to like him…

It was awkward in the room, something he didn't like.

"While company is nice in _hindsight_," He said, "I believe there's some sort of premise called Doctor-Patient confidentiality."

It sounded like a frank 'Get out'. But, he just didn't want to be the center of attention. It was tense enough with how serious everyone was, adding public examination would have made things worse.

The twins were the first to go, giving quick huffs, and crossing their arms in annoyance. Mori and Hunny – a name he truly hated saying – were second. The latter gave a sad wave while the former gave a slight nod. Tamaki and Kyoya were third, giving him glances, but nothing else. Haruhi was last. She and Ichi stared at each other for a few moments. She was the first to break, turning away and walking out.

He said nothing for a few minutes as the nurses hurried around. At 4:22, he spoke up.

"Okay ladies, what will it take to get of here?"

\-/

_He was staring out the window, admiring the nice looking weather. He wished he could go outside. But, that wasn't allowed when it was a work period._

_He was suddenly thirsty. It wasn't the Thirst, he was just…well…thirsty._

_He unhooked one of his bottles and unscrewed the cap. The water was cooling, sliding down his throat, only to lose the feeling lower in his body._

_Ahh…the Human Body, such a complex machine. A living chemistry set, always working at milliseconds. It was one of his interests, but biology never excited him. He _was_ a guy, so the thought of cutting open a rat with a scalpel only to remove the organs did intrigue him. But that was it, it was a rat, a lowly animal sometimes favored over mice for pets. It was a rodent, killed daily because they're nosiness. There was no way he'd be able to open a person. Alive or dead…_

"_Azuma-san?"_

_A classmate was next to him. Two to be exact. They were both male, one was cute, one had a more mature look. Both acceptable, both prohibited._

"_Yes?" He questioned._

"_We've been wondering…" One started._

"_Why do you drink so much water?" The other finished._

_Ichi looked at them. He did drink a lot in class. "Good question." He complimented, "I've been told it's like a defensive mechanism. Some people have nervous twitches, silent cursing, or denial. I, however, drink water. The mind is capable of many things, like hysterical pregnancy. It's possible that whenever I'm stressed, my mind subconsciously triggers something, making me think I'm thirsty."_

_The two boys looked lost, but nodded slightly, as if getting it. _

_Simpletons…_

\-/

He was more mature then the average Third year.

He sat there, staring at the glass in his hand as the ice glistened in the dim light. He was doing what any sensible man did when it came to problems.

Drowning away the sorrows.

Usually, when a man with problems drank, things didn't go well back home. He wasn't like that. He didn't thrown shots back, barely make it home, then slap Aki silly. He was more sensible. He sat at the bar, slowly taking in the fire that was bourbon.

From what he saw, not a lot of people drank bourbon, for when he ordered the shot, the bottle wasn't even open. They didn't know what they were missing, it was like a blaze that built in the soul, warming the body.

He was only at the bar because he was trying to contemplate his life. He had such a horrible habit of flirting, almost impossible to break. Everyone, _everyone_ intrigued him. Most people he knew were above a 4, his minimum. Everyone had something attractive about them, their eyes, their hair, their personality, their voice. Oh yes, their voice.

He…he never liked to admit it, but…he had a voice fetish. Sometimes, there would be that voice, the voice that just…captivated his heart. Those were the times he wished he could just capture that angelic sound, and keep it with him forever. Haruhi was one of those voices–

Damn, he was thinking about her again. He needed more alcohol…

/~/

He slammed his glass on the bar, no words needed to be said.

The bartended quickly understood the signal, and came over an annoyed frown on her face. "Another round sir?" She questioned, as if already knowing the answer.

"Are you going to say I've had enough?" He asked, yet to hit slurring.

"Money's money isn't it?" She questioned, pouring in some scotch, for he had switched poisons.

He nodded in her direction, but said nothing else. It was an hour later, and he'd yet to forget what needed to be forgotten. He was drunk though, he knew that. The world was spinning, and he was considering leaving Aki. He liked Aki, not exactly loved, yet not some pathetic crush. But…the alcohol was feeding his other side, the side that told him he liked Haruhi.

He liked Haruhi, but in a weird way. It was like one of those pathetic soap operas. He was the boss with a wife, and she was his attractive secretary. It was like–it was like workplace sexual tension. They had this thing between them, but they weren't pushing it into a relationship.

He gulped down the scotch in one shot, then slammed down the cup, showing he wanted more, and he was pissed.

The bartended came back. She was faking a smile, "More?" She asked.

"Gin." He ordered. He had gone from whisky to scotch to gin. He was going to have a _horrible_ hangover. He shouldn't go to school tomorrow.

As she poured the drink in his cup, he was reminded of school. He couldn't believe he was drinking this much on a weekday. How pathetic was he? Very apparently. Was he an alcoholic? No, drinking wasn't really his thing, he just wanted to forget. No, no, that sounded like what an alcoholic would say. He was just drinking okay? No one was being judged here, he just needed a place to think.

"Hey Ichi."

Someone was next to him. Someone he didn't recognize, or maybe he did. He'd met, and flirted, with a lot of people in the past three years. Someone could remember him and want to 'catch up'.

"'M not I-chi." He mumbled, the booze finally getting to him. "'M no longer I-chi." He was starting to laugh stupidly at his name. It wasn't his first he changed though, but his last.

"Whatever," The person said. He was unable to see their face clearly. "I'm just saying you've been drinking too much."

"Whado you care?!" He questioned angrily. "You're juss some punk ass. Bet you'd be stiffing ma wallet if it 'ere in my b-back pocket."

The person sighed. "You don't drink a lot, do you?"

This angered Ichi. He hated when people categorized him. "Go find a church to preach in." He said, annoyance in his voice. "Thish ishn't a A.A meetin'."

"You've been sitting here for an hour and a half, drinking alcohol older then you!"

The more the person talked, the more Ichi was tempted to hurt them. He'd consider throwing the gin at them, but, that'd be a waste of good booze.

"I'm…'M dishlikin' thish conversation…" He stood up, gulping down the last of his drink. "I'm–'m endin' thish…"

"Let me help you."

"Why d'hell should I let you?!" He questioned. "I dont 'ven know you."

"You're freakin blind drunk, aren't you?"

"I dunno you." Ichi said, squinting to see correctly. "I'd…I'd know your voice if I did…"

"It's Akira."

Akira…the name ringed a very, _very_, loud bell, but Ichi couldn't quite place it. The alcohol was erasing his memory. Hopefully this wouldn't be permanent. He should probably call a taxi to get home, maybe Aki, someone who could get him home safely.

"I dont know an A-ki-ra." Ichi slurred. "Or maybe I do. I dunno. I've been with alotta people. So many people…I'm…I'ma horrible person."

"I know. I know."

"I…I gotta play the bill." The world was spinning even faster now. He needed fresh air. "Then…then sleep. Sleep sounds nice."

"C'mon Ichi, I'll help you."

"Thanks…whoever you are…"

\-/

"_Oh Haruhi."_

_He had found Haruhi in the hallway, carrying a carton of milk. Ichi found it a questionable item to have, but ignored it._

"_Hey Ichi."_

_Ichi passed the freshman the bag he was holding. The kid took it. He had done his job, time to go._

"_Wait! Why are you giving this to me?"_

_He turned back around. He wanted to say because he had been rummaging through his closet yesterday looking for his favorite tie. He wanted to say he had found that random pan set, saw no use for it, then remembered their previous encounter and how Haruhi had a bento. But he found that wasn't exactly appropriate, so instead, he shrugged._

"_You kept me from drowning. I can't just idle by as you continue on without a proper thank you."_

"_You didn't have to…"_

\-/

He was on the ground.

His head was pounding like a bitch, and his face was unusually itchy. Something was wrapped awkwardly around his neck, close to choking him. His clothes felt wrong on him. What happened? It was bright. There were chirps of birds in the background, along with vague murmurs. It was hot, hotter then usual. He didn't think he was in his room.

Things weren't right.

He attempted to get up, but his headache was draining his energy. He started out slow, opening his eyes carefully. The sun burnt like a third degree burn, but he endured it to see his surroundings. He was on the ground, ground as in earth. He was lying on some grass. There was a tree in his view as well as a fountain. He instantly knew where he was.

Ouran.

He frowned. Ouran was okay, but he had a _giant_ headache. He wouldn't be able to handle chemistry with his heart beat constantly banging in his head like a bass drum. He should go home before he threw up.

He didn't even understand _how_ he got to school. He could only imagine what happened in the past few hours. He remembered drinking, then nothing, more drinking, meeting someone, then nothing, then his clock saying 4AM.

Could he have thought that 4 was close to 7, the time he usually left the apartment? He must have drank so much that it only wore off a few hours ago. His liver was probably in hell…He seemed to have crudely dressed himself for school, then made his way here. He felt his pockets, there was his wallet, but no keys. Did he walk? His feet kind of hurt.

He turned onto his back. He checked his watch, forty minutes till classes started.

He hauled himself up to see his uniform crinkled to hell. He quickly realized that the thing almost choking him was his tie. He did his best to make himself took presentable, smoothing out his shirt and jacket, readjusting his tie, correcting his belt. He flattened back his hair so he wouldn't seem so…bed head.

He tightly closed his eyes. The sun was close to blinding him, aggravating his headache ever more. He needed medicine, or something.

Maybe he'd just lay there for a while…

/~\

_Haruhi was watching Ichi talk to a few of her costumers. She saw nothing of it, just a simple conversation. Then, suddenly, Ichi was inches away from one girl, holding her in his arms._

_She didn't realize it at the time, but she was jealous. She was envious of how close those girls were. Not to mention the fact she was angry at Ichi._

_Only a few weeks ago they had kissed, and they barely knew each other! Now, when their relationship has deepened, he's even more distant! _

_What were Ichi's feelings towards Haruhi?

* * *

_

A/N: Again, special chapter. If you liked it or hated it, I'd appreciate you tell me, in case I will do this again...

Reviews would be heavenly. Thank You_  
_


	6. s i x

Chapter 6

Hikaru and Kaoru were standing over a familiar jackass.

They had found Ichi lying on the ground, some odd meters away from the East entrance. He was asleep. They were tempted to graffiti his face with permanent marker, but they knew if they did, he'd come after them, and possibly rip their heads off. He was in perfect prank state though, so they couldn't just leave him. What, oh what, could they do?

A smile then spread across their faces.

Hikaru went into his pocket and pulled out the handcuffs he had borrowed from the Host club. Kaoru laughed quietly at the possibilities. Very quietly, very slowly, the twins rolled Ichi onto his side, pulling his arms back into a correct position. They handcuffed his hands behind his back, and did their best to not break into hysterics. Ichi completely deserved this, and he'd never know it was them.

They didn't care about getting the cuffs back or not. It was a prop for tomorrow's theme at the Host club. Some sort of jail burg scheme Tamaki thought of one night. Half the club would be prisoners, while the other would be officers. The twins had borrowed a pair for practice, just to see what they could come up with.

Ichi would never know it was them. He was stupid enough to fall asleep on school grounds, he should know better.

"Should we leave the key Hikaru?" Kaoru questioned mockingly.

Hikaru laughed inwardly, "I think he's better off like this."

The Hitachiin brothers snickered devilishly as they walked away, leaving a chained third year behind.

/~\

The twins were still smirking at their prank throughout the day.

They kept thinking of the reactions Ichi could have gone through, the difficulty he was facing, and the fact that the key was with them, putting cocky grins on their faces. He was so pompous, the jerk totally had it coming. They saw him the other day, flirting with Haruhi's costumers. Who the hell did he think he was? If he 'supposedly' liked Haruhi, he shouldn't be flaunting his charm around.

Of course, this was like the Pot calling the Kettle black. Hikaru liked Haruhi, yet he too was charming the ladies. But, he had a reason. He was in the Host club, it was his job! What excuse did Ichi have? Nothing.

Haruhi meanwhile, was noticing the Twins' mischievous attitude. Whenever they had that grin on, they were up to something, and they were _definitely_ up to something. Hikaru and Kaoru hadn't exactly thought their whole plan through. They had forgotten the part where Haruhi was beginning to side with Ichi more then them. So, when she found out about this, no doubt soon, she'll know it was the twins and go after them.

It was after school when Haruhi finally broke.

"What are you two up to?"

Their smirks never left their faces all day. They were up to something, but what?

"Nothing." Hikaru and Kaoru lied together. Sure, Haruhi was good at seeing through them, but they weren't going to let this one slip.

"You're up to something." Haruhi continued.

"We have no idea what you're talking about." The Twins said, faking innocence.

The Female host glared at them, but said nothing else. Hikaru and Kaoru continued to grin, happy they had won over Haruhi, for once. Yes, they liked her but, this was something more then her, it was about breaking Ichi's spirit…or body, whatever came first. The more they annoyed him, the less he come around, and the less he'd come around, the worse his and Haruhi's relationship would be. It was as simple as pie.

Too bad it was the other pi.

As soon as the freshman hosts entered the Third music room, they were shocked.

There stood a handcuffed Ichi, talking to Kyoya and Tamaki. All three of them had a serious look on their faces, and when they noticed the newcomers, their emotion hardened. The Shadow King was radiating the _most_ menacing aura, Tono was frowning as he shook his head in shame, and Ichi gave harsh look of disapproval.

"Ichi-senpai!" Haruhi exclaimed, pushing past the twins, "What happened?"

Kyoya stepped forward, "We're not entirely sure," He shot daggers at the brothers, "but we have an idea."

Hikaru and Kaoru looked everywhere but at the others.

"Have you been like this all day?" Haruhi questioned, examining the metal chains.

"Unfortunately." Ichi hissed, still looking at brothers with cold, cold eyes.

"Hikaru, Kaoru," Tamaki said, his voice cutting through them, "The key."

Sighing, Hikaru began to rummage through his uniform, looking for the only escape. But…he couldn't find it. With a desperate look, twin one glanced at twin two, who began to copy the process. Kaoru was now panicking, where was that key?!

"We…can't find it."

The sophomores frowned even more. The third year stayed silent, but it was obvious he was furious. He jerked his arms this way and that, trying to escape. Haruhi noticed the red marks on his wrists, and guessed he had been doing that all day.

"We'll have to get a duplicate." Kyoya stated, pushing up his glasses.

"You don't have a backup?!" Ichi questioned.

"I'm sorry," Kyoya said, "but no. Hikaru and Kaoru took the only key."

Again, Ichi wrestled with the chains. He was desperate, more so then before. No doubt no one would enjoy being handcuffed for a day, but he seemed even angrier then the norm. It was like he _really_ would rip off someone's head. Haruhi tried to calm him down as the sophomores approached the twins.

"What were you two thinking?" Tamaki questioned, playing the role of a disappointed father to a tee.

"But–"

"We just–"

"He–"

Hikaru and Kaoru were unable to string three words together.

"You don't like him either Tono!" Hikaru quietly exclaimed.

"Not enough to treat him like a prisoner!" Tamaki retorted.

Okay, that was _a bit_ untrue. In the past, the Host club had kidnapped, interrogated, and harassed a few people. But, those times were different. Those times, the Host club was there during the events. They supervised whatever happened, and nothing got out of hand. This, meanwhile, was entirely different. The Twins had left Ichi completely alone. He had waken up to his hands cuffed behind his back, no idea what was going on, and went through the whole day, unable to do simple tasks! No one could blame him for being pissed off.

"You've seen the way he acts around Haruhi." Kaoru said, making a point. "What if she suddenly decides she's rather be with _him_?!"

Tamaki's serious face dissolved into a concerned one. "O-okaa-san?" He said, weakly latching onto Kyoya. "C-could that happen?"

"With such situations," Mother said, pushing up his glasses, glancing at Ichi and Haruhi, "No one could blame her for wanting to be with…someone else."

Panic bestowed Tamaki ever more. "What can we do?!"

Kyoya sighed, obviously he was the only one thinking logically. They'll have to make sure the third year won't sue, or badmouth the club. First they break a 5,500,000 Yen vase, and then they handcuff the poor man without him knowing. Although the Ohtori wasn't one to sympathize, he felt sorry for Ichi. It seemed like the Host club never brought good fortune to his life…

"How–ngh–fast can you–goddamn it!–get the bloody key?!" The devil spoke, practically spiting fire, wrangling to get out of the chains.

"An hour or so." Kyoya stated, "Give or take." Due to Tamaki's orders, the prop had to be 'legit', forcing Kyoya to buy real handcuffs, needing real keys. Thankfully, with his powerful lineage, it shouldn't take _too_ long.

Ichi stayed silent. He tried to break free one last time before giving up. He sighed, collapsing onto a near-by couch. He mumbled something under his breath.

"Haruhi," Kyoya said, smiling a business smile. "Can you keeping Ichi company until the key arrives?"

"Yeah, sure." Haruhi nodded.

The notorious trio looked at the Shadow King in disbelief, did he serious just say that?! But the glare they received back silenced them. To save their souls, they decided to keep quite…for now.

/~/

"Would you like something to drink senpai?" One costumer asked.

"Well…" Ichi said, obviously forcing a smile, "I'd love one, but I'm incapable of performing that task."

"R-right." Another said.

Haruhi's costumers had taken a likening to the third year. They seemed to like that he was bond, helpless even.

"I could feed you something if you're hungry." Haruhi suggested, no flirting in her voice whatsoever.

The Fangirls gasped, and blushed furiously. To see such a cutie – Haruhi – feeding a handsome stranger – Ichi – was almost too much. Seeing it would _definitely_ complete their lives.

The 'handsome stranger' frowned slightly, then sighed in defeat. "_I could eat._" He murmured under his breath, as if embarrassed.

Haruhi smiled gently, finding Ichi's newfound vulnerability, somewhat, cute. "What kind of cake do you want?" She questioned.

Ichi frowned again slightly. "Can I just have that strawberry?" He asked, motioning towards the top of Haruhi's slice.

The girls were redder then cherries. It was like Haruhi was a magnet for forbidden love. First Kasanoda, the small snippets they had seen involving the twins, now a mysterious third year. It was like living in a romance novel. Renge was eating it up as she spied from afar, taking notes for her new doujin. This copy would surely sell out in an hour, in minutes!

"Sure." Haruhi said kindly. Lightly, she stabbed the berry and held it close to Ichi's mouth. He bit onto the edge of the fruit, as if avoiding the fork.

He turned away to chew and shallow. "Thanks." He mumbled.

Costumers who watched the ordeal either squealed in delight, blushed harder at the possibilities, or leaned in farther for more. More mature hosts who saw the event took it as a good thing, in different perspectives. The notorious trio was panicking and fuming.

The Handcuff prank was backfiring even more then before. The whole point was to destroy the relation between Ichi and Haruhi, not build it! Damn, this wasn't good. The trio will have to spend more time with the female host, so that her mind was on them, not…_him._

For about the twentieth time that hour, Ichi jerked his arms opposite directions in another attempt to escape. Slowly but surely, he starting to admit defeat. The girls could she the fire in his eyes beginning to die as the chains rattled that metallic chime of capture.

"Don't worry Ichi-senpai!" One girl encouraged.

"I'm sure the key will arrive soon!" Another said.

The Third year sighed, "Hopefully."

He was just so…broken, the girls couldn't help but want to comfort him.

"It's okay senpai–"

"It'll be here soon–"

"Have another strawberry–"

Haruhi felt that twinge again, the wave of jealously. It was faint, but there. She was thankful that his hands were preoccupied, otherwise he could have been holding those girls in his arms. Wait…why was she thinking those thoughts to herself? It wasn't a good thing he was cuffed. In one was it was, but in all others, it wasn't! She felt bad for thinking that. How would Ichi feel if he knew how she felt? Would he understand? Or be angry?

"I'd prefer if Haruhi fed me."

Those words flew through the Third music room like freed doves. Chills went up the spines of the notorious trio, and the female host felt her cheeks grow hot. Fangirls squealed, and Renge was _loving_ it, such a juicy line.

"W-why?" One costumer managed.

"…" Ichi looked slightly confused. "Is it bad that I like Haruhi?"

"He admitted–!"

A hand was clamped over Hikaru's mouth before he could continue. Kaoru did his best to hold back his fuming twin. Tamaki had fainted, along with the rest of the female populate. Haruhi had turned away, hiding her burning cheeks. Kyoya took a note of it. Hunny felt happy, yet sad at the same time, finding three admirers difficult on the female host's part. Mori, as usual, was blank. Ichi seemed lost in his thoughts, probably not noticing what he had caused.

Haruhi, still blushing slightly, held out another strawberry, which Ichi bit, chewed, and swallowed. He smiled this time, "Thank you."

Now, Hikaru was ready to beat the third year to death. Why the hell did _Ichi_ get the pleasure of being fed by Haruhi, when he was only given glares?! This day couldn't get any worse! That bastard barely knew Haruhi! Yet he got all her attention?! Who was in her class? Who's been with her since the beginning? Who comforted her during a thunderstorm? _Hikaru_. Not some pompous jerk, HIKARU.

"Hikaru, please!" Kaoru pleaded, holding his twin back as best he could. "I know you're angry, but now's not the time!"

Hikaru was practically spitting fire. Hell yeah he was angry!

"Poor Hika-chan…" Hunny murmured, taking another bite of cake.

"Yeah." Mori agreed.

"And Tama-chan…" Hunny continued.

"Yeah." Mori repeated.

Kyoya looked over to Tamaki, who had regained consciousness, and was now as pale as a ghost. He felt bad that his best friend was losing his love interest. But, unfortunately there was little the Ohtori could do. It was Haruhi's choice as to who she wanted to be with. The only way to sway her was to…well…make her like you more.

So she liked Ichi. If Tamaki wanted to be with her, he would have to prove it someway. The same thing went for Hikaru. They'd just have to get over their flaws, jealously and stupidity.

Then, there was a faint knocking at the main doors, a rapping only Kyoya heard. He hoped it was good news.

"Thanks for keeping me company Haruhi." Ichi said meanwhile.

"I-it was nothing." She replied, still a bit embarrassed.

"You always calm me down," He mused, looking out the window, "and seem to distract me from my pain…"

"Pain?" Haruhi questioned. He didn't look injured.

"I just had a headache today." Ichi said, looking away. "I was…busy last night." One could only imagine what he was doing…

"Sorry for the wait Ichi." Kyoya then said, walking towards the two. "But the key's finally here."

The third year's eyes lit up. Once Kyoya freed him, he smiled immensely. "Thank you! I truly appreciate it." He began rolling his wrists, and adjusting his back. Haruhi could only imagine how sore he was from being like that all day.

"I apologize on how inconvenient your day was." Kyoya said, glaring slightly at the twins.

"It wasn't your fault." Ichi said, rubbing the red marks. He glanced at the twins, then quietly excused himself from Kyoya's presence to approach the brothers. He stood over them, arms crossed in, what seemed to be, annoyance. "Well?" He questioned.

"Well what?" Hikaru questioned back, still a bit pissed.

"Are you going to apologize?" The third year asked. "I'm not going to threaten you, but I'd appreciated a sorry for treating me like a criminal." His voice was even, unusual when he was so angry before.

Hikaru glared at Ichi like there was no tomorrow, while Kaoru kept glancing nervously over at the former. The older twin stayed silent, keeping the younger quiet as well.

Ichi looked at them with cold eyes, he said nothing, he didn't even sigh, or uncross his arms, he just left. But it was pretty obvious he was really, _really_ pissed off.

Kyoya shook his head in shame, disappointed in the twins. Tamaki was still a bit out of it, due to the fact that another devil liked his daughter. Hunny and Mori felt bad for Ichi because Hikaru was treating him so poorly.

Haruhi, meanwhile, was furious.

Why did Hikaru have to _constantly_ overreact when another guy talked to her? First, she was catching up with Arai, then he rudely said how her old friends didn't matter. Now, when Ichi was cuffed, _because of him_, he refused to apologize from some…some stupid egotistical stubbornness!

Why couldn't he just grow up?

/~\

Haruhi and Hikaru hadn't spoken in three days.

The Host club was turning awkward, for there would always be a…a strange wavelength floating between the two, making conversation a bit difficult around them. Daddy had tried to bury the hatchet for them, but all he got were menacing and/or deathly glares. Mommy wasn't moved by the fight, as long as it didn't cut into business. Mori and Hunny decided two days early to try not to get involved. Kaoru, for his brother's sake, was sticking with Hikaru, leaving Haruhi alone in class.

The female host was beginning to find the entire situation stupid. Was apologizing really so difficult? Haruhi didn't think so. But then again, it _was_ like the time with Arai, and Kaoru was the one who said sorry, not Hikaru. This wasn't going to be easy, was it? Maybe she should do something…

But her mind was soon changed when she saw Ichi that afternoon on her way to the Host club. He was down the hall from the third music room, looking depressed. He kept looking back and forth between the music room entrance, and a near by window, as if deciding whether or not to go in.

"Hey Ichi-senpai." She greeted, supposedly catching him off guard.

"Oh, Haruhi." He said. He had dark purple mark on his cheek.

"What happen?" She questioned, motioning towards the bruise, choosing to not overreact.

Ichi frowned. "Sometimes when people don't listen, their minds jump to conclusions, and they…well…overreact." He sighed, then looked at his wrists, which happened to be wrapped in bandages.

"Was this because of the handcuffs?" Haruhi asked, growing annoyed all over again.

"Somewhat." Ichi said shrugging. "I suppose it's my fault in some way. I have a problem that I can't seem to control…"

The problem he spoke of was questioning, but Haruhi could tell he didn't want to talk about. "Why are you here anyway?" She asked.

"I've been meaning to speak with the twins." He said seriously. "It's come to my attention that things aren't going well between you and them. I'm here to settle the matter."

It was comforting to know that Ichi was looking out for her. Sure, Tamaki had tried, something she admired briefly, but he had failed. Kyoya didn't seem to care. Hunny and Mori had told her they didn't want to get in the middle of the fight. It seemed like Ichi was the one who would make this better. Ironic, for it was all about him.

"But…" The third year then started, "I have the _uncanny_ feeling that as soon I step in there, I'll be pelted with god knows what. Cake, plates, silverware…"

Haruhi couldn't blame him for thinking like that. The twins weren't afraid of going too far, and barely regretted it. "We could go in together." She suggested. "That way, you won't be hit." _Immediately_, she wanted to add.

He frowned. "While I'm tempted the idea, wouldn't that anger them more?"

Haruhi looked up in thought. "I guess your right…" She said.

"I'll come in later." Ichi sounded unsure. "Try not to…defend me."

"Why no–"

"Just, please Haruhi?" He asked. "I don't need their approval. As long as the relationships you share with them are good, I'm fine."

Haruhi would have blushed in the Ichi wasn't so serious. "Thanks senpai." She mumbled, slightly embarrassed at how much he cared.

Ichi leaned in and caressed her cheek, resulting in the blush she had been resisting. He closed in, kissing her gently, leaving her in a familiar blank. "_I love you_…" I whispered. His eyes then widened, and he pulled back abruptly, turning away and straightening out his uniform. Was he blushing? Haruhi couldn't tell. "You should go in now." He said, still looking the other way, "I don't want you to be late."

Haruhi did as she was told, trying to discard the hard blush on her face. She entered the Third music room as quietly as she could, and took at seat at her usual table, where her costumers already awaited.

Hikaru had noticed the red burning on Haruhi's cheeks, and assumed only _he_ was on the other side of the door. This enraged Hikaru even more. That bastard was everyway wasn't he?! _He_, in no way, deserved Haruhi. Hell, he didn't even deserve to go to this school! How did he even get in?! Why was Haruhi so…_captivated_ by that son of a bitch anyway? Hikaru betted he wasn't even the top ten of his class. Probably at the bottom.

There was suddenly some loud knocking on the door. Everyone turned to the door except for Haruhi, already knowing who was on the other side. Tamaki, curious, walked over and opened the door. There stood Ichi, arms crossed in a stern manner, but he looked depressed again.

"Ah Ichi." Tamaki greeted, allowing him in. An annoyed Hikaru lowly growled. "What brings you here?"

"I'd like to speak with Hikaru and Kaoru." He paused, "If they don't mind."

Tamaki smiled, "They don't mind at all."

"Yes we do!" Hikaru shouted, being restrained by Kaoru again.

"Go ahead Ichi." Kyoya spoke, sending the message to the older twin.

Hikaru glared at Mommy, but settled down nonetheless. "Fine." He huffed.

Ichi nodded at the two sophomore hosts, then made his way smoothly to the brothers. He sat down at the edge of one of the couches, resulting in a few blushes from costumers.

"What. Is. It?" Hikaru questioned, anger dripping from each word.

"…" The third year was silent, his face revealing nothing. "I'd like to apologize." The twins widened their eyes. Did _he_ seriously apologize when it should be them? Wow, who was the bigger man or what? "The way I acted the other day _was_ a bit too harsh. I've pranked people too, more so then handcuffs, and well, no one reacted like I did. I can understand why you hate me. Hell, I'd hate myself, I've been told I'm easily disliked…" He shook his head, probably regaining his point. "What I'm trying to say is that I'd rather _not_ get between you and Haruhi. I get it, I'm just some guy who was attracted to a pretty face, _even though it's more then that_…There's a deeper bond going on in this club that I may never reach, and I respect it. Believe me, everyone has their special someone, you do, I do, the minister of defense does. And, when a rival comes along, we go on offense, defending our significant other. One of the reasons I got this 'pleasant' bruise on my cheek…" He shook his head again. "Well, I digress. I just hope we can put this all behind us."

Ichi stood up, bowed slightly, then left without another word.

Humble was a word that came to mind from his rant. Not only did he take responsibility for the twins' prank, he forgave them, and agreed to back off Haruhi. It was kind of doubtful he'd actually do the last one, but at least he said it, right? It was questioning as to who his 'special someone' was. They had guessed it was Toki during his speech, but learning that that someone gave him that purple splotch, a seven year old wouldn't be able to do that.

"Well Hikaru?" Kaoru questioned.

It was up to Hikaru now. The enemy had flown the white flag _and_ retreated. The only question was would he choose to fire another shot or not. "I guess." He frowned, annoyed he had to admit it. He stood up and walked over to Haruhi.

The female host had retracted her blush only a little while ago. She looked up to Hikaru confident an embarrassing thought wouldn't come to mind. "Yes?"

"_Sorry_." Hikaru murmured under his breath. He was then shoved by Kaoru. "Sorry." He repeated at proper volume. He was shoved again. "For acting so immaturely." He was holding back the urge to roll his eyes. He _wasn't_ immature.

Haruhi smiled brightly, making Hikaru's anger and annoyance melt away. "Thank you Hikaru." She said.

Costumers squealed at the smile, and the elder twin felt his cheeks grow a bit hot.

Meanwhile, the color from Tamaki's face had flushed away. He slowly fell to the floor muttering the phrase, "Devil's are always after my daughter…"

/~\

It had been a week since Haruhi and Ichi last spoke, yet his voice was still in her head.

_I love you_.

Every time she thought about it, she would do her best to restrain the blush that she felt creeping up. She didn't understand what it was. It was like some sort of allergic reaction. Whenever he came to mind, her face would flush, and she would feel unusually embarrassed. She probably shouldn't tell anyone…

"Haruhi, Haruhi!" The shrill voice belonging to Renge was suddenly calling out to the female host.

"Oh Renge," She said, "Do you need something?"

The crazed Otaku pulled out a notepad and pen. "What's your relationship with that Ichi Azuma?"

Haruhi did her best to hold back a blush. Relationship? Did they really have one? Maybe. He seemed to be looking out for her, they've kissed, he's admitted he liked her… "Um…well."

"We won't judge you Haruhi-kun!"

Fangirls had suddenly appeared all around her. All were anxious to learn about this 'forbidden' relation. "Well…you see…" Haruhi was at a loss for words.

"There's nothing going on between Haruhi and Ichi." Just as suddenly as the fangirls, Hikaru and Kaoru appeared from nowhere. They leaned on the female host as they smirked knowingly. "Haruhi's ours."

The girls squealed in delight from the thought of a yaoi threesome. "So there's nothing between you two?" Renge pushed.

"Ichi wishes he could have Ha~ru~chan." The twins cooed as they hugged her harder. The costumers squealed again.

It was like a magician was continuing to pull people out of his hat, for just as suddenly as Renge, the fangirls, and the twins, Nekozawa appeared. "Do my ears deceive me?" He said eerily, sending a few goose bumps across several arms, "Are you speaking of Azuma-san?"

The girls slowly dispersed, never really liking the Dark Prince's presences. The freshmen hosts and the otaku stayed, wanting to learn what their senpai was talking about.

"You've meet Ichi Nekozawa-senpai?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes." he replied, making Belzeneff nod, "Actually, he came and sought me out. Or rather, the Black Magic club." He chuckled creepily as the cat puppet twisted in awkward positions, making the others reconsider staying. "At first, he asked for a simple palm reading, then he questioned–" Nekozawa chuckled again, "–If he had been cursed."

"Cursed?" The Hosts echoed.

"Yes." Belzeneff nodded for the Dark Prince. "He said that he had a problem, and was _running out of options._" His whisper added to the creepiness of his tone.

"What was his problem?" Renge asked, snooping as much as she could.

"He didn't say." The otaku pouted, damn the fact that Ichi kept to himself! "He's quite an interesting person…" Nekozawa continued, "It would be interesting to speak with him more. It's a shame he keeps to himself so much…" The Dark prince then faded in the shadows.

Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, and Renge were all a little…well…crept out. They decided to leave before they lost their souls.

\-/

"_Listen to me! I didn't do anything it was that Ren guy!"_

_It was a small station, more like a sheriff's office. The village wasn't even big enough for a squat car. This 'cop' was probably on a power high, and took Ichi on _just_ because he was there._

_The fourteen year old Ichi was falsely behind bars with his hands cuffed behind his back. He had been visiting some relatives, had met some guys, and somehow got tangled up in this act of crime. He wasn't apart of it in anyway, honestly! This 'cop' just wouldn't believe him. If someone would listen, he could bring them to the real thieves._

_He had been innocently taking a stroll to the local corner store after dusk, it was small, but provided the needed snacks of society. He had heard some smashes, and wondered what it was. Loud noises, at night, brought on curiosity, so he had decided to check it out. Turns out it was three guys, but he only knew one, Ren, guy lived next to Ichi's relatives, so they had met a couple times._

_Ren had been breaking into the largest house in town. The occupants were away apparently, so the three punks had decided to steal some stuff for kicks. Ichi still found it a stupid idea. It was a small village, so everyone knew everyone, so it was obvious it was going to be the three bastards that reeked havoc._

"_Shut up kid." The policeman said. "Just sit there till your guardians get here."_

"_Are you listening to me?! It was Ren! Ren!! Just because you don't know me, doesn't mean I'm a god-forsaken-terrorist!!"_

_The cop simply ignored him, seriously pissing him off. _

"_Takes these handcuffs off me!!" He demanded._

"_No can do." The cop answered. "You're pretty hostile, and damn close to threatening an officer. I'd settle down if I were you."_

"_I. Don't. Deserve this!!"_

* * *

A/N: Please, Please, PLEASE review!!


	7. s e v e n

Chapter 7

Renge was on a mission.

The secret relationship between Haruhi and Ichi was the biggest thing to happen to the Host club since she showed up. She knew there was something going one because she had seen the way Haruhi looked at him, that was relationship. The secret was the fact the Host club knew, but they weren't telling anyone, not even _her_, their own manager! She was going to learn what was going on, or die trying!

The only person she could ask was Ichi himself. He was a mystery all right, but Renge wasn't playing, she needed information. She needed information on where she could find him before actually talking to him, which she had already obtained. She heard (eavesdropped) that Kyoya had already tired digging up dirt on the third year and only got snippets. If she could get something big, maybe Kyoya would love her again! (Again being the first time.)

So, her snooping had taught her that most days, Ichi leaves the school at exactly 3:20 using only the main entrance. She quickened her pace, wanting to be early.

When she got there, everywhere in sight was empty. She went on alert, wanting to spot Ichi as soon as he came into view so he couldn't escape. If she could get him, oh what a joy it would be! The information he held could fuel two, maybe even three doujins! They would be filled with the forbidden relationship, extra romance, drama, and hell, maybe some action too! Those fangirls would just eat it up! Maybe even some jealousy from Kasanoda! Oh what a great doujin this would be!

"Uh…excuse me."

Renge was taken by surprised. Ichi had somehow snuck up on her. How the hell did that happen? She was so alert!

"Excuse me…" He repeated, trying to find a way past her.

"Tell me about your relationship with Haruhi-kun!" Straight to the point, the best way to interrogate.

He looked down at her, this was the first time she had been so close to him. He was quite attractive, but she had to focus, she was on a mission! "I don't think the Host club would like what I have to say…"

"I'm part of the Host club." Renge said proudly. He only eyed her. "I'm their manager."

"Oh really?" Ichi said. "…Still. They seem pretty…_keen_ on me not being in a relationship with Haruhi. So, telling you my thoughts is probably a bad thing…"

"No, I promise you!" She insisted. She needed this.

He looked down to her, he looked guilty. "I…guess."

Renge cheered. "Thank you, thank you!" Ichi opened his mouth to say something, but she spoke first. "But not here! Let's go the Third music room."

"Wait–what?" He looked confused, "Didn't I say the Host club would _not_ like me discussing my feelings?"

"Please please please?" Renge pouted, using her girl powers of sympathy and pouty faces.

Ichi sighed heavily. "Fine." He said, rolling his eyes.

The Otaku cheered, grabbed his hand, and began running the Host club.

/~\

It was quiet. Too quiet…

Renge was nowhere in sight, something unusual. She usually showed up for hosting hours on the odd weekdays (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). It was Wednesday, so where was she? Well, at least the Host had some relaxation time with the costumers. There was no crazed Otaku to 'liven' things up.

"Here we are!"

Just as they were sitting back, Renge blasted through the doors, smiling proudly. She was the _greatest_ manage. She pulled in a reluctant Ichi; Ichi, the guy almost impossible to track down! It felt good to do something others couldn't.

"Just sit over there Ichi-senpai." She led, all smiles. "I'll get us something to drink." He nodded reluctantly, but did as he was told, sitting at a vacant table.

Renge made her way to Haruhi who was still a little stunned the Lady Manager had located Ichi. "Haruhi-kun," the otaku said, "Could please get me and Ichi-senpai some commoner's coffee?"

"Uh…yeah, sure." The female host agreed. Renge then skipped away. Haruhi realized, or rather remembered, that she was already carrying a tray with the tea set. Seeing Ichi must have put her in a temporary blank, or something.

"Tell me about yourself senpai." Renge said to Ichi, seated across from him.

"Uh…" He leaned forward, "Miss Manager…?"

"Renge Hoshakuji."

"Right, Renge," Ichi looked uncomfortable, "I thought this was about Haruhi, not me."

"Oh no." Renge said, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand, "This is about both of you." She turned deadly serious. "Do you realize what this relationship could hold? This can happen with, or without you. I suggest you agree, or else your character could be very sadistic towards Haruhi. And I'm sure the rest of the Hosts won't like that."

Ichi's eyes widened.

A large smile then appeared on Renge's face, "So, tell me about yourself."

Haruhi appeared next to them, baring the freshly brewed coffee. "Here's your coffee Renge, Ichi-senpai."

"Thank you Haruhi-kun." The Otaku said, cradling the cup which Haruhi poured the beverage to.

"Uh…right." Ichi held out his cup as if he didn't want to be bothered. He looked nervous, could something be wrong? "Thanks." He mumbled, taking a sip.

"Would you like you to join us Haruhi-kun?" Renge asked sweetly.

"Maybe later." She said, "I have some costumers waiting for me."

"Alright." Renge smiled as she waved goodbye. Ichi only nodded, taking a sip of the coffee, not even flinching at the heat.

As soon as Haruhi was out of ear shot, the Otaku went into work. "Do you have any siblings senpai?"

"Nope." He frowned, but not in a depressing way, more like an annoyed way.

"So you're an only child?"

"Fortunately."

In a note, Renge wrote down **Lonely childhood**. It'd be a good background story for Ichi's attraction towards Haruhi. Perhaps he found the newest Host a good example for a little brother, then things just evolved from there…? She would have to think of the details later.

"What do your parents do?" Renge asked.

Ichi sipped the coffee "Nothing."

"Nothing?" She echoed.

"Nothing." He confirmed.

"Then how did you make it into the academy?" She readied her pen to write down what he would say.

"My own money."

"So you succeeded on your own?"

He looked at her, "Sure, let's go with that."

**Successful business man**. He made it into Ouran on his own, how impressive. **Neglected**. She guessed from the grimace on his face that his parents didn't care about him, or they were so busy they had no time to notice him. She guessed when he said 'nothing' he didn't really acknowledge their business, and went on his own to show he could be just as great as them. He was_ so_ amazing.

From afar, the twins were watching the bastar–whoops _Ichi_, and Renge, wondering.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Kaoru asked his other.

"I don't know." Hikaru responded. What exactly could those two have in common?

"If I had to guess," Kyoya said, tapping away on his laptop, "I'd say Renge was interviewing him."

"Interviewing?" The twins echoed.

"She's been working on another one of her doujins." The shadow king continued to explain. "I'd have to say that because she's focusing on Ichi, the plot of this volume will revolve around his and Haruhi's relationship."

There was a sudden crash, and attention was directed towards Renge and Ichi. He had apparently knocked over the cup he had set down. They could only tell it was him because the Otaku was gripping her cup in shock.

"As they say Ichi," Hikaru called, smirking knowingly, "you break it, you buy it."

Completely unfazed by the older twins' jeering, Ichi said, "Don't you boys still owe me 5,500,000 yen?"

A sword of guilt stabbed the Hosts through the chest. They had forgotten about that…Kyoya swiftly scratched out the note he made on Ichi owing for the broken cup. Hikaru was a bit stunned by the comeback and avoided eye contact.

"The Host club owes you money?" Renge asked surprised, but more intrigued.

"Yes," Ichi confirmed, sighing, "I had invited them over one day – _something I now partly regret _– and I left a few of them alone. I'm not sure of the finer details, but what I was told is that one of them bumped in the pedestal and…_bang_." He sighed again. "I got quite an ear full after that."

"Oh my." Renge said, resting her fingers on her lips. His parents must have found out and yelled at him. **Bad Parent-Child relationship**.

Ichi began picking up the broken pieces, avoiding the spilled coffee.

"There's no need for that Ichi." Kyoya said, grabbing the third year's attention. "That's Haruhi's job."

He looked at the Shadow King in disbelief, "Are you serious?" He questioned. He shook his head as he huffed, mumbling under his breath. "_Well_, _in slavery, women usually _are_ inside the house_…"

A shock went through the Host club. "W-what are you talking about Ichi?" Kaoru questioned jokingly. "Haruhi is a _man_." The twins laughed nervously as they patted the female host on the back.

Tamaki approached the third year, "It's not slavery really," He said, continuing the 'Haruhi is a boy' steering committee process, "Haruhi, the boy, just has a debt to pay, and cleaning pays some of it off." He laughed nervously, praying Ichi would buy it.

The third year lifted a brow to the King's statement, probably noticing the push at Haruhi's gender. "I'm just saying," He said, crossing in arms, "_men_ usually work _outside_. _Women _work _inside_."

No one was really taking offence since everyone in the room – besides Haruhi – was rich. They grew up with the gardeners being men and maids being woman. The commoner girl, however, was seeing a new side of Ichi, who knew he was this…Sexist?

Ichi continued, "That's why there are more guys installing air-conditioners and jumping into sewers where as woman clean and…" he looked up in thought, "and cook. I'll do all the heavy stuff, all I ask in return is lunch after hours of work. Simple as that." Fangirls were practically falling out of their seat, amazed at how easy it was to please Ichi. If he only wanted lunch, they could easily get their cooks to make something for him.

Renge too, was charmed by his words, "A-are you saying that you'd deal with all the-the problems in a house?"

"Sure." He shrugged, "I'd shingle the roof, paint the house, pave the driveway, so long as my lover returned the favor…There's a reason women aren't fire_men_, their not exactly strong enough…"

**Modern-day Handyman**, and what a man! That physique! If Renge didn't know any better, she'd say he could lift two girls hanging from his biceps.

The notorious trio growled lowly. They could do dirty work too! They could…they could…uh…what _could_ they do? Building a fence didn't work out for Tamaki. The twins don't make their bed in the morning. None of them have attempted to cook in their life. So maybe they weren't 'handymen'. What the heck did that even mean anyway? So he's handy? So what! Did he have a mansion? Did he have servants? Did he even have a limo? Heck no! Too bad none of that impressed Haruhi…

Haruhi, meanwhile, had listened to all of what Ichi said, thought most of it was pretty sexist. She did note the fact that he seemed knowledgeable in many areas of household items. Perhaps she could ask him over one day, the bathroom sink had been leaking, no matter how hard she turned it, and it seemed like the fridge was broken, it just sounded louder. She knew if she mentioned it to the Host club, they would overreact and give her a new fridge or something around those lines.

The trio was growing annoyed, and quickly thought of a way to get rid of Ichi.

"Well Ichi this has been fun," The twins said, lifting him up from his seat, "but we need this table now."

"I'm not done talking to him yet!" Renge exclaimed.

"Too bad!" The twins shot back.

They pushed him to the door where Tamaki stood waiting. He grabbed Ichi's hand, shook it, and said, "It's been a pleasure," he opened the door, "until next time!"

Then the three of them kicked him out.

They smiled triumphantly. Haruhi frowned at them, but said nothing.

/~\

Summer had arrived.

Haruhi could only tell that because it was raining. Not that it didn't rain in Spring, but it was hot today, extremely hot. It was the afternoon, and rain suddenly hit while she was in the grocery store. She hadn't expected it since she didn't check the weather today.

She stood outside under the stores outstretched roof, looking up at the sky. She hoped it would clear up, but the darkness in the clouds begged to differ. She frowned, she didn't have an umbrella, and she was carrying four bags. She could wait it out, but she'd rather not get caught if it were to…

"Haruhi, what a surprise."

In front of her stood Ichi, looking as casual as ever in only a vest and shorts. He truly looked surprised under his umbrella, he must have been around the neighborhood for another reason.

"Don't you have an umbrella?" He asked.

Haruhi shook her head, "No."

"Here." He said, outstretching the item of protection. He stood in the down pouring rain as he waited for her to take it. It was like he didn't even care he was getting soaked, he just wanted Haruhi dry.

"N–It's fine senpai," Haruhi stumbled, slightly embarrassed, "I can just wait it out."

He didn't move. "There's going to be a thunder storm." He stated, making a chill go through Haruhi's body. "I don't want you outside for that." It was like he knew… "Take it."

"But uh…" She ruffled the bags she was holding. "My hands are full."

"I'll carry them for you." He said, still pushing the umbrella, still standing in the rain.

Reluctant, Haruhi stepped out from the roof to under the umbrella. Just as reluctant, she swapped items with Ichi. Now she held the protection, and he held the weight. She began to walk in the direction of her apartment and he followed, holding the bags next to her so they would stay relatively dry. But, water would trail down his arm and drip onto the groceries. Most of what she bought was rapped in plastic, but it still somewhat bothered her.

"Why are you in this neighborhood anyway senpai?" Haruhi asked, hoping to start a conversation so it wouldn't be so awkward.

"…" At first, she thought Ichi didn't hear her over the rain, but then he spoke up. "I was visiting someone."

"Who?" She questioned, just keeping up the chatter.

"…" Again, she thought he didn't hear her, but, "A partner. I was…breaking it off with them."

"Oh." It must have been a business partner, and Ichi was closing the deal they had.

They fell back into silence. He didn't seem to mind the quiet, or getting wet. Haruhi though, was bothered by it, and felt somewhat embarrassed. She couldn't explain why. Maybe because he had done something so kind even if it was as small as carrying her stuff and offering her an umbrella. Maybe because they hadn't had a moment together since they met outside the Third music room. Maybe because his words were still in her mind…

_I love you_.

She still remembered, how close he was, how much he seemed to mean it, how he turned away in – what she guess to be – embarrassment. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink.

"Are we almost there?" Ichi's dark voice broke her train of thought. Haruhi realized that, yes, they were only a block away.

"Yeah." She said timidly, "Just up those stairs." She pointed to the apartment complex.

"Watch your step." He warned as they approached the staircase. "You might slip."

She only nodded, avoiding eye contact, her cheeks were still a bit pink. She carefully climbed the steps and fumbled with the protection as she fished out her key, standing in front of her door. Like the gentleman he was, Ichi took the umbrella and held it over her, leaving her hands free. She felt her face grow hot again, so she made sure to not look directly at him.

"You can put the food there." Haruhi said as she walked through the door, pointing next to her other pair of shoes. Ichi followed her directions while simultaneously closing the door and shaking his head to get dry. "Hold on, I'll get you a towel."

He stayed silent as she rushed away to the bathroom. When she returned, he took it from her and mumbled a small, "_Thanks_."

"You can stay here till it lightens up." Haruhi said, looking out the window, then frowned in worry. The clouds were getting darker. She hoped it wouldn't…

"Is something wrong?" Ichi asked suddenly, scaring her a little.

"N-no." She said, hiding her anxiety. "I'm just hoping it'll let up soon."

It looked like he didn't believe her, but nodded nonetheless. "Yeah." He agreed.

She then noticed how his clothes were still dripping, sticking to his body and outlining his muscles. "Hold on," She said, "I'll get you something dry to wear."

"Thanks." He mumbled as she rummaged through her father's wardrobe, looking for something appropriate for him to wear.

When she found a male shirt and pair of pants, she gave them to him and told him to change in the bathroom, hanging his clothes on the tub's rim to dry. She guessed he and Ranka were relatively the same size, Ichi a bit taller. But Ranka usually wore baggy men's clothes for some unknown reason, so it wouldn't be so awkward for the third year.

Haruhi looked out the window again, it was becoming a nervous habit. It was raining even harder then before, she could tell. She knew any second it would start…

"Are you sure I can wear this?" Ichi asked appearing, scaring Haruhi again.

"Y-yeah." She said, hiding her worry once again. "My dad won't mind. It's better then catching a cold, right?"

"I suppose…" He murmured, sitting next to the table in the living room. He stared at her bored, as if waiting for her to break. She turned away, back to the window, but she still felt his gaze on her skin. "Are you going to look out the window all day?" He questioned, almost sounding like a joke.

"Sorry." She said automatically, turning back. "I just…"

Then it happened. Lightning flashed behind her, and seconds following, thunder clapped out. She fell to the ground and covered her head, curling into a ball.

"Haruhi…?" Ichi questioned, his voice littered with worry. "What's wrong?"

"W-wrong?" She questioned, faking like she wasn't in a complete panic, "Nothing's wrong, I'm just practicing for when an earthquake happens."

"I don't think that–"

Lightning sparked up the sky, and thunder boomed soon afterward. Haruhi squeaked as she curled into a tighter ball, just wanting to get away from it all.

"Haruhi," Ichi said softly, "Are you…afraid of thunder?"

"Well…uh…kind of." Haruhi never really liked admitting her fear aloud. But, ever since she told Tamaki at the beach house, it's been easier to say.

"Are you just going to quiver there?" He questioned. She looked up to him slightly, but then, thunder rang out, and she ducked back under her arms. "Can you come over here Haruhi?" He asked gently. She scurried over to him in between booms, cowering next to him. "Sit up for me?" She obliged, but was still shaking. Very gently, he positioned himself behind her, and rested his hands on her shoulders. "_Just relax_." He whispered, "_Listen to the lava…_"

"Lav–?" Before she could fully say it, she understood. He had covered her ears with his hands completely, blocking off all over sounds. The one noise she heard was extremely soothing. It was…well, exactly like Ichi said, it sounded like lava, flowing down a river.

Slowly her muscles relaxed, and her shoulders loosened. She leaned into him, feeling his chest rise up and down. She matched her breathing to his, easing her stress ever more. They stayed like that for a period of time. She couldn't tell if it had been a few minutes or a few hours, but eventually, she began to fall asleep…

/~/

Haruhi woke up to the sound of yelling.

"–defiled her!"

"You're delusional!"

"Let me see her!"

"She's resting!"

She recognized the voices instantly. One was Ichi, the other was Tamaki. She then realized where she was. She was in bed, the futon rolled out. Ichi must have put her there, for the last thing she remembered was being in the living room.

"Let me see my daughter!"

"Stop saying that! You're a _year_ older then her!"

Her…Ichi had acknowledged her gender. That's when Haruhi remembered what she was wearing. Capri pants and a blue shirt with hearts parading over it, not exactly clothes a guy would wear. She had completely forgotten that she was in feminine attire. It was probably because Ichi didn't really change his attitude toward her. He must have known from the beginning, and just never said anything, finding it obvious.

"You're a fiend!"

"I did nothing wrong!"

"Who knows what 'nothing wrong' is to you?"

Quietly, Haruhi slipped out of bed, and pulled back the sliding door. She was face to face with Ichi's back, he seemed to be blocking Tamaki from entering. She noticed he was back in his clothes. How long had she been out?

"Haruhi!" The King called, shoving Ichi aside with newfound strength. He hugged her with gleaming eyes, glad to know she was okay.

"Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi said, wiggling out of his embrace, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to protect you." He said heroically. When he noticed her expression didn't change, he slumped. "From…from the storm…"

"_Storm's been over for fifteen minutes…_" The third year murmured just loud enough for Tamaki to hear, but not Haruhi.

"Ichi-senpai was here." She said.

Tamaki looked over his shoulder to Ichi. The third year was glaring at him, arms crossed in anger. "Him?" He questioned in disbelief, "That devil?"

Haruhi could have sworn she saw fire come out of Ichi's back. He was obviously angry at being called a devil. "Tamaki-senpai," she began, "I can understand when you call Hikaru and Kaoru that but, Ichi-senpai is different. He–He didn't do anything wrong! In fact, he did everything right, maybe even better. He gave me his umbrella in the pouring rain, he carried my groceries, he–_he _protected me from the storm!"

"But Haruhi!" Tamaki whined, "You don't know him! He could be up to something! You can trust him because–because…"

"Because what senpai?" Haruhi questioned, starting to lose her temper. "Because he's in the D class? Because he isn't like you and Kyoya-senpai and the rest of high class society? Because he likes me?"

"It's not like that–!"

They fell silent suddenly, both noticing that something was off. A small '_Click_' was heard, and they realized that Ichi had left the apartment. Haruhi was saddened, he didn't say goodbye, he didn't even acknowledge his leaving, was he angry with her? Tamaki, meanwhile was happy, alone…_finally_.

"Okay, he's gone." The King was relieved that _he_ was no longer here, "You can tell me what _really_ happened now."

Haruhi fumed, she knew Tamaki was an idiot, but she didn't think he was _this_ stupid. "That wasn't some sort of act senpai!" She yelled, past the breaking point, "I meant all of it! Can't you see that Ichi isn't up to anything? You just don't like him because you're jealous of him!"

Tamaki was shocked. Haruhi had never lashed out at him like this before. "But, Haruhi, I–!"

"Sorry senpai," She said, turning her back to him, "but, can you leave now? Please?"

"But…Haruhi…"

"Please?"

The tension in the room was thick. Tamaki was having a hard time trying to decide if he should listen to her or not. She was so sad and serious. If he left, she'd be angry with him. If he stayed, there was a possibility to comfort her, but she'd probably be angrier.

The King, for once, admitted defeat, and left the apartment quietly.

Haruhi sighed as she slowly sank to the floor, all the yelling was tiring. She took a look around, noticing subtle changes from before it started thundering. The grocery bags were now on the counter, some had been put away, others were still there. She guessed Ichi did that, and stopped whenever Tamaki burst in. Ranka's clothes were neatly folded next to the table, along with the towel. She saw his umbrella, leaning against the wall where he left it.

"Did he leave it purposely?" She wondered aloud.

/~\

Haruhi was walking down an outdoor corridor, worrying.

She and Ichi hadn't spoken in four days. The only reason could be the other day, when Tamaki showed up. Granted, the third year had a tendency to not show his face for a while, but she was sure this was different. He was so angry, it was radiating off him. She couldn't imagine what was going on in his mind…

"'Yet knowing how way leads on to way," Ichi's voice was in ear shot. Haruhi looked around trying to find him. She spotted him sitting against a tree, reading to an elementary student. "I doubted if I should ever come back'…You're looking at me again kid, what is it this time?"

Haruhi approached the two slowly as the child answered. "How _do_ you get a black eye?" It was at this statement she realized Ichi had been in another attack. She could only say that because he had black eye – again – and a bruise on his forehead.

"You get hit in the eye." Ichi answered, "Is it really that difficult?"

"I've never known someone with a black eye…" The kid said, leaning in a little.

"Let's hope I'll be the only one." Ichi said, a small grin on his face, "As I was saying…" The third year said, "'I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.'"

Haruhi, for some reason, kept her distance as she listened in on the tutoring session. She wasn't one for eavesdropping, but she just couldn't find the courage to approach the two. She did her best to weave in and out of their conversation. She missed some words, but understood the gist of the topic. Ichi was questioning the kid on the poem. What was the time of year, what happened, what was the metaphor, stuff like that. She couldn't tell if he was a good teacher or not, but the child was looking intently at him. Him or the black eye…

"Thanks Ichi-sensei." The student bowed formally.

"Hope that helps." The teacher replied, smiling kindly.

As soon as the kid was gone, Ichi sighed, and sank lower into the ground. Haruhi approached him slowly, slightly cautious. He glanced at her, nodded in her direction, but said nothing. He sighed again.

"Tired?" Haruhi questioned, taking a seat next to him.

"Yeah…" He replied, pushing his hair back. "English isn't my strong suit."

"Then…" She cocked her head in question, "why are you tutoring English?"

"It was the only option when I sighed up." He sighed again. "I'd rather be teaching math."

"Math?" She echoed. That seemed to be what people would avoid.

"My favorite subject." He smiled shrugging. "My best, but I'd rather not brag."

They fell silent. Upon closer inspection, Haruhi realized that not only did Ichi have a black eye and bruise, but stitches on his jaw, and minor cuts on his left cheek and neck. The attacks were getting worse. Was he doing anything about it? Did he even care?

"Uh, senpai…?" She was daring to ask.

"It didn't hurt." Was his immediate response. "The stitches, I mean. It was a little awkward, but I was kinda out of it…The thread's see-through and it'll heal up in a few weeks, so I don't care that much."

"Are you ever going to do something about the attacks?" Haruhi asked seriously.

Ichi shrugged, "Maybe, I don't know. It's…reassuring in some way."

"Reassuring?" She questioned, not believing he just said that.

"I know it sounds strange," He said, looking at her, "but, I know them, the attackers, and when I see them, it makes me feel good, well bad, well…_better_, it's hard to explain."

They fell silent again. Haruhi spoke up once more, "Senpai…" She trailed.

This time, he didn't have an immediate response. He only looked at her, "Yeah?"

"Thanks, for the other day…" She was a bit embarrassed bringing it up because of what happened between them, and how the day ended.

"No problem," He said, giving a small shrug, "it's how I calm Toki down when she's scared."

They looked at each other. Ichi smiled at her gently, and Haruhi couldn't help but smile back. He was such a nice guy, why did the trio hate him so much?

"I've found you!" Suddenly, a shrill voice shouted out. It was none other then Renge, who had snuck up on them somehow. Ichi covered his eyes and shock his head. Haruhi did her best to not frown in annoyance, knowing what was soon to come. "Haruhi-kun, Ichi-senpai, have you two kissed yet?"

The female host's cheeks flushed a light red as Ichi continued to shake his head.

The Otaku wasn't letting this go, was she?

\-/

_Ichi lounged back in his chair, one arm hanging out the window. _

_The teacher was yapping about something he couldn't care less about. He continued to stare out the window at the gym class outside on the track. He wasn't really staring, just looking at them as he thought._

_Summer was fast approaching. His schedule had plenty already, but with the free time that was summer break, he would be even busier. It made him question if he would ever have free time again. He had his job as a waiter that started right after school, that lasted five or six hours, then he headed over to the club as an usher for about four hours. He got about, three hours of sleep or so. He didn't really mind though, it was all for a greater good. _

_Summer meant about seven more hours. That meant one more job, one more paycheck, one step closer to freedom._

* * *

A/N: You can go ahead a shoot me now, y'know for not updating in…I dunno…FOREVER.

Re-did a section of this so it may or may not make sense.

Um…Gonna try my best to FINISH this fanfic.

PRAY FOR ME AND THIS STORY.

-Lizninja

P.S Reviews would be fantastic, and THANK YOU FOR READING! :D


	8. e i g h t

Chapter 8

It was a week into summer vacation.

Haruhi had just arrived at Misuzu's Pensione and was ready for work. She had always loved Karuizawa, it was refreshing, just like everyone said. She was glad she could work here, it was nice getting away from the city. The only thing she was dreading was the Host club's inevitable arrival.

They were going to show up, there was no doubt about it. She could handle their presence, she did almost every day, she just hoped they wouldn't cause a scene. They were always successful in causing a racket some way or another. She just hoped that, for once, they could stay subtle.

"Haruhi!" Misuzu greeted, embracing her. "It's so good to see you again!"

"It's good to see you too." She smiled, truly meaning it.

"I've already set up your room." Misuzu explained, cheery as usual, "We're not very busy at the moment, so you can put your clothes away."

Haruhi nodded, and began to walk towards the room she usually occupied when she stayed in the summer. Just before she rounded the corner, she looked over her shoulder. Misuzu was right, they weren't very busy. Only one person was in the lobby, someone reading the newspaper. She couldn't tell who it was, the paper was hiding them.

Although she was grateful for this change in scenery, Haruhi was still a little sad. It was a bit embarrassing to think about it, but she would miss Ichi over the course of summer. It was just…after everything they've been through, it'll be strange to not see him after five days or so.

When she returned to the lobby, business had picked up. There were a few girls looking through the menu, and a couple getting checked in by Misuzu. The person reading the paper was gone, disappeared like they weren't even there. She wondered if they were a guest or just there for the café…

It had been three days in Karuizawa and there was yet to be a sign of the Host club.

It was something Haruhi found off. Usually, the Host club would show up immediately. It wasn't like it bothered her, in fact, she enjoyed the quiet, but it was putting her on high alarm. Would Tamaki cause a giant scene when he did arrive? She really hoped not. Maybe they've learnt to leave her alone…no, that's impossible.

She contemplated all this while washing the dishes, doing her best to not think about it _that_ much.

"-hi!" Misuzu called from another room, "Could you come out here for a second?"

Haruhi put down the dish she was scrubbing and dried her hands. She went into the lobby to Misuzu who was looking up the staircase. "You called me?" She asked the crossdresser, grabbing his attention.

"Oh," He said, "no Haruhi, I wasn't. Sorry for pulling you away from your chores."

"It's fine." She said, "But, who were you calling?"

Misuzu smiled, "One of the guests, Ichi's his name." A jolt went though Haruhi. "He's been helping me with the harder work. Such a nice young man…"

"Ichi?" Haruhi echoed. Could it really be?

"Oh yes." Misuzu smiled, putting a hand to his chest, "Here's been here for about a week and so. Quite handsome I might add. The first day he arrived, I had some chores I couldn't handle and he kindly offered to help. He's been doing odd jobs ever since, in exchange for a free meal or two."

Could this Ichi be the Ichi Haruhi knew? It'd be either an uncanny coincident, or fate.

"Ichi!" Misuzi called again, he tsked, "What is that boy doing?"

Thumping was heard, and a barefooted, grouchy, Ichi Azuma appeared from behind the corner upstairs. He groaned as he stomped down the steps and stood in front of the crossdresser, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"What?" He questioned, obviously tired. "I was sleeping…" His head dropped to the side, showing he was close to falling asleep then and there.

"I just got a big delivery." Misuzu went on to explained, "Haruhi and I are busy, could you bring them in for me, please?"

He nodded sleepily, "Yeah yeah…" He trudged away to the back where the deliveries were usually dropped off.

"He's a bit rough around the edges," Misuzu stated, arms crossed knowingly, "but a good man nonetheless."

"_He didn't recognize me_…" Haruhi mumbled under her breath. She couldn't exactly blame him, he looked pretty tired, and had bags under his eyes. He must have been unable to sleep in the last few days. "How long is he staying?" She asked, still staring at where the third year disappeared.

"Another two weeks!" Misuzu said, practically cheering. "He's the longest guest I've ever had! It'll be great having him around!"

Seeing Ichi every day for the next two weeks? It sounded like it good thing, it _was_ a good thing, but with the Host club's inevitably arrival, things couldn't go well…

"HA-RU-HI!" Speaking of the devil, Tamaki blasted into the room, strapping onto her like there was no tomorrow. "Haruhi!" He coddled her, hugging her like a 'daddy' would.

"Haru-chan!" Hunny called as he and the rest of the Host club calmly walked into the lobby. "We missed you!"

"Uh…hi Hunny-senpai." She was waiting for that moment when Ichi stepped out, and this blissful ignorance was destroyed. Hopefully something would happen, and they wouldn't find out about each other.

"We would have been here earlier," Kyoya said, pushing up his glasses, "but we decided to give you a little personal time until we arrived."

"Thanks…" Haruhi said, not really thankful. She wiggled out of Tamaki's grip as the others took a seat at a table.

Misuzu smiled so much that tiny cartoon hearts were sure to appear, "It's so good to have such cute boys back in my pensione." He sighed happily, "Will any of you being staying here?"

It was a statement Haruhi really didn't want to hear. If they were to have another contest, one of the trio would win, and thus be under the same roof as Ichi and lead to some sort of fight upon meeting.

"Not this time Misuzu," Kyoya said, resulting in a few whines from the trio, "We all have our own respectable vacation houses."

The crossdresser sighed, then pouted, "I guess won't have free labor this year…" He murmured, "At least I have Ichi."

"Who?" Hikaru questioned, not completely catching the name.

"H-how about I get something for you all to drink?" Haruhi asked, desperate for Hikaru to not push further.

The Hosts all nodded and accepted the offer. She sighed in relief, glad her distraction worked. The host did their best to not act like snobs and ordered normal drinks. When she got the complete order, she made her way to the kitchen, where a few drinks were in the kitchen.

Just next to the door were the boxes from the delivery, and Ichi laying next to them, sleeping. Haruhi couldn't help but give a small giggle. He never wanted to offend people, and did his best to please, even if it meant his wellbeing. She watched him for a few seconds as he slept peacefully, finding he looked cute. She knew leaving him on the floor was a bad idea, but he looked so tired today, she decided to leave him be.

/~\

An uncanny phenomenon was happening at the pensione.

For the past two days, Ichi hadn't made any contact. Both days, he wouldn't show for breakfast, then three minutes before the Host club would appear, Haruhi would catch him just leaving. Then, when night fell, and the Host club had called it a day, she would catch him five minutes later going up the stairs, rounding the corner to the rooms. It was a crazy coincident.

Haruhi was bothered by the whole ordeal. Was he purposely doing this? Was he avoiding her? But, did he even know she was there? He had been so out of it the other day, did he even remember? Misuzu was also annoyed by this predicament. There were chores to be complete, ones that only Ichi could do. At this rate, nothing would get done.

But this one morning, things were different.

The person behind the newspaper was back. Well, Haruhi _assumed_ they were back due to the fact that they were at the same table, facing the same way. It didn't look like he had been served yet, so Haruhi went to work. She put on her apron and got her notebook, ready to write down whatever.

"Would you like something to eat?" She asked politely.

The paper came down, revealing a shocked Ichi. "Haruhi?" He questioned, sounding like it didn't believe it.

"Hey Ichi-senpai." She greeted. There was no point to acting like she didn't know he was here, why play along?

He pulled her in so close they were only millimeters away. After a few seconds, he respectively pushed her back. "It really is you." He said, astonished.

"Y-yeah." Haruhi stumbled, doing her best to hold back a deep blush.

"When did you get here?" He questioned.

"Sunday." She answered.

He widened his eyes, "Seriously? And this is the first time we've see each other?"

"Well, actually," Haruhi began, "we did meet, two days ago, when Misuzu-san asked you to bring in some deliveries."

Ichi nodded, "I remember that. I remember seeing you, but I thought it was I dreaming. It felt like a dream…"

"You were pretty tired." She elaborated with a shrug.

Ichi shook his head as he smirked playfully. "I still can't believe this…How long will you be working here?"

"For a while." She said, choosing to not be specific.

He smirked wider, and a gleam of deviousness was in his eyes. "Maybe I'll steal you away on your off hours." The blush Haruhi had been resisting surfaced, and reddened her face.

"So, um, about breakfast?" She asked, trying to get back to work.

"Tea and…" He looked up in thought. "Could you make me an omelette?"

"Would you like anything special in it?" She asked, doing her job.

He smiled, "Surprise me."

/~/

"So you know him?" Misuzu asked Haruhi on the other side of the lobby, looking over at Ichi.

"Yeah," She confirmed, "we go to the same school."

"Oh Haruhi-chan…" Misuzu sighed, "You're so lucky to be around such handsome men…"

She gasped lightly, "Ah, wha–Misuzu-san!"

But the crossdresser was already gone, whisked away over to Ichi. He had finished eating but was still sitting there, sipping his tea and reading the paper. He was pretty mature for his age.

"Ichi-kun," Misuzu said sweetly, sweeter then usual, "can you do me a favor, please?"

The former eyed the latter, "What kind of favor?" The third year asked.

"Remember that storm last week?" Misuzu questioned, "Well, the wind was so strong, it broke some of the fence! It's such an eyesore, can you fix it?"

Ichi looked reluctant, "A fence? Really?"

"Please, please?" Misuzu pushed.

They had a little face off for a few seconds, Misuzu deploying a pout, and Ichi glaring sternly. The third year broke, sighing annoyingly and getting up from his seat. "Fine." He growled, rolling his eyes.

"Thank you Ichi-kun!" Misuzu cooed, clapping happily.

"Dinner." He stated, looking back.

"Dinner." The crossdresser confirmed, practically singing. "You know where everything is!"

"Yeah yeah…" He said, obviously annoyed. "_Who has wooden fences anymore anyway_?" He murmured to himself.

Haruhi followed Ichi with her gaze, then realized the time. The Host club's arrival was immanent. Things weren't going to go well…

/~\

Tamaki was shoved out of the limo as soon as the door was opened. Hikaru and Kaoru laughed with each other.

"You devilish twins!" The king shouted.

They smirked, shrugging like it wasn't their fault, "You need to move faster Tono."

The twins stepped onto and over Tamaki purposely, having their fun. "Besides," Kaoru grinned, "Haruhi wants to see _us_ first."

Tamaki leapt at them, making sure he would be the first to greet Haruhi. The three began to fight, wrestling to get past one another. The other Hosts just looked on, not really doing anything to stop it. It was something they were used to when it came to the notorious trio.

The Host club suddenly heard strange noises, then a loud wooden smack. They looked to their left to see a guy, taking apart a section of the fence.

The members were confused, "Who's that?" Hunny asked innocently.

"He seems to be a repairman." Kyoya stated. "He must be fixing Misuzu's fence. The pieces he's removing are broken."

They watched the guy for a few seconds. They've never seen someone dislodge a fence before, it was interesting. Tamaki watched and remembered when he once had a similar task. He realized his mistake now. Hammering useful pieces onto broken ones didn't seem to make sense anymore.

"When did Misuzu get enough money to hire a worker?" Hikaru asked.

"Maybe it's a one time thing." Kaoru replied, "Like when Okaa-san hired people to put up new wallpaper."

They watched a little longer. The man had dismantled his desired area and was now sticking new planks into the ground, hammering them in one at a time. A few hosts were tempted to talk to him, just to see what his commoner life was like.

Tamaki, being the man he was, approached first. "Hello good sir!" He greeted, being over enthusiastic as usual. "Would you happen to be working for Misuzu?"

"Something like that…" His voice sounded familiar, but Tamaki couldn't quite place it…

"I myself once had to fix a fence," The king continued, "unfortunately, it didn't turn out very well. Do you have any tips to pass on to me?"

"It depends really." The guy shrugged, yet to face Tamaki, something that seemed off to the host. "If you're starting from scratch, might as well hire someone to do it. But if it's just a section, like this, it's relatively simple. Just take out the broken parts, stick the new planks into the holes already there, then hammer this back board in so it all holds together. Easy as that."

Amazing! This man had so much commoner knowledge! "Thank you very much!" Tamaki said, even more enthusiastic.

"No problem." The guy finally turned to the King, and it turned out to be Ichi.

At first, Tamaki didn't really notice. But milliseconds later, it hit him like a baseball. Turning white, he fell to the ground, muttering "_The devil came after my daughter_…"

Hikaru and Kaoru ran into the pensione to make sure Haruhi was okay, leaving the more mature hosts to tend to their fallen king.

"Does this happen often?" Ichi asked, looking down at the body.

"Not very." Kyoya answered as Mori picked up Tamaki. "We're sorry for how inconvenient he was, we'll let you get back to your work."

"Yeah, thanks…" The third year mumbled.

The four of them exchanged nods, and the hosts made their way to the pensione.

/~\

"He knows doesn't he?"

Tamaki had regained consciousness quickly, and went straight to work, defending Haruhi from the devil that was Ichi. He was pacing around, continuously looking out the window at _him_.

"What do you mean Tama-chan?" Hunny asked, enjoying the piece of cake he was served.

"Haruhi's gender!"

A jolt went through the Host club. They had forgotten Haruhi was in feminine attire…for the entire summer! If he did know, would he tell the school? Would he expose this important secret _just_ to get back at the notorious trio?

"He's known for a while…" Haruhi thought aloud.

"What?" The trio shouted aloud. When? When did he find out!

"How can you be so calm Haruhi?" Tamaki questioned, gripping her by the shoulders. He was panicking.

"Don't you remember senpai?" She asked. Tamaki didn't remember, what was she talking about? "A couple weeks ago? After the storm?"

Then it hit him. He recalled that he kept yelling at Ichi to 'see his daughter'. He gasped, was it because of him that Ichi knew? Tamaki began panicking even more. Kyoya would never forgive him! The twins would harass him! Ichi would be free to pursue Haruhi! The world was ending!

The king swooned, close to fainting again. Everyone ignored him for he was being too dramatic.

"So what if Ichi-senpai knows?" Haruhi questioned. "He doesn't really have anyone to tell." The two third year host nodded in agreement, Ichi didn't seem to have any friends. "Just leave him be."

The twins looked out the window to Ichi, who was hammering the back board to the planks. How the hell did he end up at _this_ pensione? There were dozen more, yet somehow, he was staying at the one Haruhi worked at. Did he stalk her or something? They needed to do something, something that would ensure Ichi couldn't get any closer to Haruhi. But how?

"Misuzu-san!" The twins called, "We want to stay here!"

An instant "No!" was given from both Tamaki and Haruhi.

"Aww, Haruhi!" The twins whined, completely ignoring their king.

"There aren't any rooms." She stated, but it was more then that. She just _really_ didn't want them under the same roof as Ichi. The twins booed her answer and slumped in their chairs. What if Ichi got to her? They'd have to think of something…

Then, speaking of the devil, the third year himself walked in. He looked a little more rugged then usual, not that he was menacing enough, he just seemed…worked. He ran his hand through his hair as he approached the Host club. He turned to their king, "Feeling better?" He questioned, no sarcasm detected.

A little surprised that Ichi actually asked, Tamaki's answer was a tad timid. "Uh…Yeah…"

"Good." The third year said in a tone that could have accompanied a small smile, "No one should get heat stroke on vacation…" He stared into space for a few seconds before turning to Haruhi, "Are you busy?"

An instant "Yes!" was given from Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki, a response that made Haruhi frown in disapproval.

Ichi shrugged, "I'll ask later then." He said. He turned away and made his ascent up the stairs to his room.

Haruhi huffed at the trio, not believing how protective they were. They just couldn't get over him could they? There was nothing bad about him, he was a good guy. But no matter how much he proved himself, they just wouldn't listen.

"Haruhi-chan!" Misuzu called out, coming into view.

"Yes Misuzu-san?" She asked, suppressing her anger.

"Can you do me a favor? Please?" She nodded as he pouted slightly. "Can you go and get me a few things in town?"

"Yeah sure." She complied, taking off her apron.

Misuzu cheered, then handed her a list and a moderate amount of money. Haruhi folded her 'uniform' and placed it behind the counter.

"Ne, Haru-chan," Hunny said innocently, "Can we come with you?"

She looked over at her small senpai, then scanned the host club, landing on the trio. Leaving them here with Ichi probably wasn't a good idea, but bringing them would be just as much trouble… "Sure, I guess."

The Hosts cheered, especially the trio. Finally, time alone with Haruhi!

/~\

If there was one thing Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru knew about Ichi, it was that he had the uncanny ability to show up when he wasn't wanted. It happened at the amusement park, and it happened a few days, so this trip into town brought on paranoia. They had the feeling that he'd suddenly arrive. But, behind every corner, down every alley, and in every shadow…was no Ichi. It was a bit strange, he just…_always_ appeared. It was good though, no Ichi meant no possibly for Haruhi to be distracted, which meant her attention was focused on _them_, the people who mattered.

Haruhi didn't really notice the trio's constant uncertainty and over-protectiveness. They didn't really seem all that different. Ever since they learnt that Ichi was staying at the pensione, they went a little over board. What did bother her was that they were holding her up. She needed to get back before the lunch rush, but they kept stopping and peering into store windows, or down the street. She couldn't just leave them because if she left them, they would get themselves in trouble.

When they _finally_ made it back – twenty minutes later then Haruhi originally hoped – her worst fear was in tune. The lunch rush was in, and busier then usual. She huffed, annoyed that Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru had caused her trouble even though she didn't leave them behind. She just hoped Misuzu wasn't too overwhelmed.

"Oh Haruhi-chan!" The flamboyant crossdresser called out, coming towards her. "I'm glad your back! Did you get everything?"

"Yeah." She nodded, motioning towards Mori who silently insisted on carrying the bags.

"Wonderful!" Misuzu sang, smiling more brightly then usual, "You can put them in the kitchen, then take a break."

"A break?" Haruhi questioned, almost not believing that she just heard, "But it's so busy, I should get to work."

"No, no, not at all." If possible, Misuzu was smiling more. "Ichi-kun noticed you weren't here when the rush came and offered to take your place! It's he wonderful? He said he didn't want you to worry, and handled everything! He's serving everyone right now! Isn't he amazing?"

The trio gritted their teeth at Misuzu's kind words. So _this_ was what he was doing. Clever…

"But–uh–he didn't need to do that." Haruhi said a little embarrassed.

"That's what I said," The crossdresser stated, "But he just insisted! What a wonderful worker…"

Just then, Ichi himself came into eyeshot, carrying a tray filled to the brim with meals. The Host club could count six, maybe seven plates balancing perfectly. He barely looked the part of a waiter. An apron around his waist and a golden bandana seemed to be his makeshift uniform. He made his way through to a table of three guests, in awe of his presences.

"Sorry for the wait ladies." He said with a smile, one the Host club couldn't decipher as real or not.

"It's fine." They all said simultaneously, eyes gleaming. He took three plates of the platter perfectly, never a tip whatsoever, and placed them, one at a time, in front of the girls. "You remembered our orders!" They said, sucking up to him.

He simply smiled, "It's part of the job. Enjoy your meal."

He left them in the state the Host club fangirls usually left in. He made his way to a different table with a couple, then another with an older pair. When he finished his service, he walked up to the Hosts still standing near the entrance.

"Welcome back." He said, no sarcasm in his voice, "Did you get everything?"

A few nods were given, but nothing else, there was something else bothering the Host club.

"You seem to know what you doing." Kyoya stated, making a mental note of his skill.

Ichi shrugged, smirking ever-so-slightly. "I'm used to it."

"It was nice of you to fill in for Haru-chan." Hunny said sweetly from Mori's shoulders. His statement made Haruhi's cheeks flush lightly.

Ichi looked to his left, as if embarrassed, "I'm just trying to be a good person, that's all." If she didn't know any better, Haruhi would say that he looked flustered. "I should get back to work…" He muttered, turning away to the kitchen.

The notorious trio noticed that something was off about Ichi. He was usually smug and pompous, and about fifteen seconds ago he was, but then, something happened. He suddenly turned…nicer? No that wasn't it…Less jerky? Kind of…Maybe nervous? Whatever it was, something in him changed, and they didn't like it.

/~\

It was half an hour later when Ichi decided to give Haruhi her job back, retreating upstairs to his room. It was ninety minutes later the Host club said they had 'something to do' and suddenly left. It was two hours later Misuzu scurried upstairs, chirping something about one last job needed to be done. Then five minutes pasted, and Ichi thumped down the staircase, not once glancing over at her. It was twenty minutes after when things started going awry.

She was cleaning one of the tables, everything else was done, and no costumers were coming in. She was wondering why Ichi seemed a little off today. Then, suddenly, there was a quiet crash somewhere. She looked around, suspecting it to be one of the lobby windows, but they were all fine. She wondered was it was. Something in the neighbourhood perhaps?

For now, Haruhi chose to ignore it.

But, just as suddenly as the crash, a female guest ran in from the back entrance, panting. Both Haruhi and Misuzu looked at her, wondering why she looked so frantic. When the guest finally caught her breath, her hands began shaking as she spoke, "O-one of the employees!" She pointed to where she came from, "H-he fell! From his ladder! The window c-came off too, and it crashed on him! H-he's not moving!"

Haruhi's eyes widened in shock. She ran after the guest who ran back to the scene as Misuzu dialed for help. In the short run, she realized what that crash was. She got a twisted feeling in her stomach, it was felt bad to know she ignored it.

When they made it to the backyard, her eyes widened in fear. Ichi was on the ground, his torso sprinkled in glass, his face and arms covered in cuts, and a steam of blood from his head. The frame from the window was scattered around his head, making her assume that's what caused the blood.

"Ichi-senpai!" Haruhi cried, running to him. Upon closer inspection, she realized his breathing was quite shallow, and his expression depicted immense pain. She swept the glass off him and dabbed away the blood from the minor cuts. She gripped onto his arm in hope he would respond somehow. "Ichi-senpai." She called again, this time a little quieter. She was beginning to panic.

He gasped and tried to intake air. He succeeded barely, then gasped for more, like a fish out of water. He continued to gape, making Haruhi fear the worse. Was he okay? Did he have a punctured lung? He turned on his side, away from her, only to constrict and murmur curses. His arms curled to his head, and he gripped his neck. His hands ran through his hair, spreading the blood around.

Haruhi did her best to comfort Ichi, but he seemed to be oblivious to her. Was he in so much pain he couldn't acknowledge other things? She hoped help would arrive soon.

/~\

The Host club had arrived back at the pensione from their 'something to do'.

They had rushed away to hold a meeting away from Haruhi and Ichi, simply because it was about the two. They seriously needed to do something about that duo. Honestly, Haruhi deserved better. Better being them, because who was better then the Host club? They're the elite of the elite. They're handsome _and_ smart _and _rich! They were the perfect package! What more could she want?

Of course that was only the notorious trio thinking like that. The other, more mature, hosts, tried their best to not get involve. Truth be told, they were all partly ashamed of the trio. It seemed like Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru were trimming away the branches instead of uprooting the entire tree.

So they wanted to get rid of Ichi. Doing so would, most likely, make Haruhi respond negatively toward them. If he were to disappear, she would think about him more so then the present people, i.e. them. What they should do is 'up their ante' in a way. They need to impress her more so then him.

When the Host club walked into the pensione, they noticed it was different. Haruhi wasn't around, in fact, no one was, only Misuzu, looking out a side window sadly. The mood wasn't right…

"Misuzu-san," Tamaki said, "Where's Haruhi?"

The crossdresser sighed sadly, "Haruhi-chan's at the hospital."

The host club gasped. "What happened to Haru-chan?" Hunny asked, close to tearing up.

"Oh," Misuzu said wistfully, "_She's _fine. It's Ichi-kun. He fell from a second story window…we don't know how." The trio sighed in relief more so then any moral person would have. "It's all my fault," Misuzu continued grievously, "I shouldn't have asked him to do that favor…"

Hunny and Mori (but mostly Hunny), proceeded to tell the crossdresser it wasn't his fault this had happened. Kyoya pulled out his phone and called the nearest hospital (Knowing that was the most likely place Ichi would be healing) and proceeded to handle the bill, finding paying could make up for the past things the Host club had done to him. The trio did they best to…not feel good. Like, honestly, what could be better then this? Ichi was hurt, finally hurt, finally incapacitated, finally handicapped in the game of winning Haruhi's heart.

Oh wait…Haruhi was with him! No! NO! She was grieving over him! She was comforting him! She was putty in his goddamn hands! They needed to get to the hospital.

IMMEDIATELY!

/~\

Seeing Ichi in unconscious reminded Haruhi of the fourth attack.

She had found him in the fountain, like the previous time. That time though, was different. When she had pulled him out, he hadn't regained consciousness no matter how long she had waited. His breathing had been shallow, much like today. He had coughed up water on accounts. She had realized that the magnitude of that attack was greater, and couldn't be waited out. She had ran to the Host club, knowing she wouldn't have been able to carry him herself. When she had returned with them, still he had not waken up. They had taken him to the Nurse's office, only to wait the thirty minutes they did. It had been gruesome, just waiting.

He had been so casual when he had awoken. Had he not realize he almost died?

Watching him now, she wasn't as worried. His breathing was more natural compared to before. His arms had been bandaged because his cuts were randomly opening and closing before. His forehead was also bandaged, after they fixed up the gash. Apparently, they didn't know if he had lost too much blood or not, and had to wait for him to wake up. Surprisingly though (Or so she was told), he didn't have any broken bones, spinal injuries, or a concussion.

It was something she was somewhat expecting. Not when he was breathing so quickly, at the time, she thought something very serious had happened. But, after she calmed down, she remembered how tough Ichi physically was. He always recovered quickly, and although this event was by far the most serious, he still survived relatively unscathed, save for the blood loss issue.

She continued to watch him as she stroked his fingers with her thumb, just waiting for him to wake up. She wondered, since she was _technically_ holding his hand, could it be considered intimate? Perhaps, maybe…

Suddenly, Haruhi heard an unusual amount of trumping outside the room. Then, as if they were invited, the Host club opened the door. She couldn't help but grimace inwardly. She found them being here would worsen things…

They closed the door quietly, and approached cautiously, kind of afraid.

Tamaki spoke first. "How is he?" He asked, concern actually in his voice.

"He's fine." Haruhi answered, not taking her eyes off Ichi. She rubbed his fingers more tenderly, hoping he'll awake soon. Hikaru saw the hand holding and mentally frowned, why was she so intent on him?

"Will he get better soon?" Hunny asked innocently, hugging Usa-chan.

"Yeah." Haruhi confirmed, "The doctor said he should be out by tomorrow afternoon, even if he needs a blood transfusion." How would they be able to tell if he had enough blood or not?

The Host club chose to not comment on the term 'blood transfusion'. It made them wonder what _really_ happened.

Suddenly, the third year's body began to stir, and his fingers curled around Haruhi's. He rose up from the bed slowly, surprising everyone in the room. His eyes were bloodshot and baggy, his breathing a bit rugged. His grip tightened even more, and he was looking around the room confused. After a few seconds he groaned lowly (Zombie?). He noticed his arms were bandaged, and slowly his hand slinked up to his forehead, also wrapped in bandage. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, he seemed to be concentrating.

The room was quite until, "How are you feeling?" Mori broke the silence.

"I'm a bit…" Ichi pressed against his temple, "…dizzy." He glanced up at Haruhi for a second, and their eyes locked. He glanced down to their hands, still together, then back to her. He gave a subtle squeeze, then slowly released her, leaving her hand cold where his was.

"You've lost some blood." Kyoya stated, leaving out the 'or so I've heard. "You will be lightheaded for a while."

"…" Ichi stayed silent. He covered his eyes for some reason.

"Are you okay senpai?" Haruhi asked gently, turning concerned.

"Yeah…" He nodded slowly, then swayed a bit. His face was slowly losing color, and then he suddenly fell back into bed.

"Senpai!" Haruhi exclaimed.

There was a sudden gasp that didn't fall into one of the member's vocal range. A nurse had quiet stepped in just as Ichi fainted. She shooed everyone out saying something none of them caught. She closed the door on them, leaving them concerned, well…_most_ of them.

\-/

_It was the Saturday following his birthday that he got the responsibility of Toki._

_He and Akira both worked a lot, and the weekends were no exception. The kid had always been left with god knows who, Ichi had never really asked. When he was granted the pleasure of free time, he was also given the chore of babysitting. Something that didn't seem worth leaving those grueling shifts…_

_Their first time together, he had no idea what to do. He and she sat in her house, just looking at each other. He wasn't exactly the most social guy, but he had friends. The only thing was…the last time he spoke to a six year old was when he was six himself. He didn't know any children, he didn't speak to any children, he didn't care for any children, so how could he baby-sit one? _

_Toki was innocent. That was the first thought that went through his head, something he hadn't come across in a girl for a long time. Her eyes were big, almost too big, but enjoyable to look at. Her voice was high, something he found amusing, and her vocabulary was simple, something else that was entertaining to him. She was clingy in ways. He couldn't exactly blame her, seeing how she was a kid, but still, they didn't know each other _that_ well. She asked a lot of questioned, which were extremely annoying._

_It began has a 'love-hate' relationship. He couldn't say he hated her, she was just a chore, but he couldn't say he liked her, for they had just met. As the time moved on, she slowly began to grow on him. If there was one thing he truly loved about her was her laugh. He himself was never one to laugh, sure he chuckled when something was amusing, but he never laughed out loud, sides hurting and whatever. _

_But when he hears her laugh, her childish giggle, that's when he lets his voice out. Those are the only times though, he doesn't know why. Nothing else makes him burst like that, so he supposes she's a blessing in sort. _

_If only he could find someone dateable like that…_

_

* * *

_Feel free to y'know, hurl pie at me for not updating in FOREVS.  
Um…not to y'know spoil, but if there was ANY reason to read A Splash of Reality, the next chapter would be it.  
REVIEW PLEASE! I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND A DAY.

-LizNinja


	9. n i n e

Chapter 9

It had been two days since Ichi was checked into the hospital.

Haruhi was worrying to a point where the Host club was oblivious to her. All she could think about was her senpai and his current condition. What had happened to him? They said he was fine, so why wasn't he back yet? Was he terminally ill or something?

She went on working mindlessly, her body on autopilot as her mind was elsewhere. The Host club couldn't do anything to calm her, which was bothering the notorious trio. It seemed like nothing got Ichi out of her head. He wasn't even here, yet that bastard was occupying her thoughts, something Tamaki and Hikaru would kill for. How the hell did he do it anyway? It was a question that had been nagging the King for quite some time. Did he have a special tactic, or was it something on his person?

If it weren't for the open windows and gentle breeze, the pensione would be eerily quite. Misuzu was no where to be found, something very odd. That only left Haruhi and the boys. There was absolutely nothing to do, since she had already done everything, so she just sat at a table, looking out the window. The others were also passing the time slowly. Hunny was eating cake he was given, Mori at his side. Kyoya was reading a book in the corner, showing he didn't want to be disturbed. The trio sat about two tables away from the female host, staring at her.

She was amazing, if only they could have her.

Eventually, as time passed, a few costumers came in things livened up a bit. Misuzu returned some time in the afternoon, bubbly for some odd reason no one really tried to figure out. Haruhi continued to work, reciting lines as her mind wandered…

At dusk, the Host club began to leave. They all gave Haruhi a brief comfort; words and embraces alike. Hikaru gave her hand a squeeze, but it only made her feel worse. Ichi had done the same thing a couple days prior…

At seven, the lobby had fallen silent once again, until the chime of the entrance's bell rang throughout the lobby.

Automatically, she said, "Welcome." but her tone wasn't exactly cheery.

"Hey." She was greeted back, and that dark voice made her jump up from her seat.

"Ichi-senpai!" She called, running up to him. She almost hugged him from sheer joy, but stopped herself in time. "You're finally back!"

"Yeah." He nodded, grinning happily. "Sorry for making you wait so long." She felt her heart flutter as they smiled at each other. What a moment this was. "Could you do me a favor?" He asked, leaning in.

"S-sure." She said, blushing slightly at the closeness.

"Could you bring a large pitcher of water to my room?" Haruhi didn't even care that the request was a little odd, as long as he was back, things were fine.

"Of course." She agreed, nodding.

"Great." He smiled gently, "Thank you." He kissed her forehead lightly, making her turn redder. He flashed her another smile, then made his way up the stairs.

She followed him with her gaze until he disappeared behind the corner. She then remembered what he asked for, and rushed to the kitchen. She couldn't help but smile through the task, glad her senpai was okay. But she wondered what kept him from returning, he never did say…Was it because of his collapse? She'll have to ask him.

When she was upstairs outside his room, she did her best to balance the tray – which was surprisingly heavy – and knock on the door at the same time. She accomplished two small taps before there was a lurch in the water, and she dove to center it.

But, lo and behold, "Come in." He heard her.

Again, she balanced the tray as she opened the door. When it was, she used her body to push it open further, then close it. Already, she could tell Ichi wasn't in the same mood. He was staring out the window, and even though he wasn't facing her, she could tell he was serious.

"You can put it here." He said pointing to a table next to him.

Haruhi moved quietly, finding if she made too much noise something bad would happen. When she set the tray down, he looked down at her, and she looked up to him. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, making her turn red.

"S-senpai…" She murmured, but was quickly cut off by him tilting up her head, and their lips meeting.

She immediately and willingly gave into him, letting his arm slink around to her waist, pulling her towards him. His kiss was deeper, longer, and more passionate then any previous time. She was so lost in it and his general presence, she didn't even notice their fingers had intertwined, or that they had somehow made it onto his bed. When they broke apart, she realized what had happened. She was reminded of that time at the beach house with Kyoya, but this was different, this wasn't an act.

He leaned down, so close their bodies brushed against each other. "_Haruhi_," He whispered, his voice full of lust and need, "_I want you…Please tell me this isn't one-sided._"

"_It isn't_." She breathed, her chest tightening up.

She felt him smirk, and heard a faint chuckle. His arms slide under her, pulling her up into a tight hug. His embrace was strong but gentle, making her melt into him. She couldn't tell how long they stayed like that, but eventually…

"Haruhi-chan!" Misuzu started calling for her.

She jumped at the voice, realizing what she just went through. The thought was embarrassing, and redden her face. Ichi let her go, an amused smirk on his face. "Until later?" He asked.

"Y-yeah." She nodded, smiling weakly. She was trying to reduce her fierce blush.

Hopefully Misuzu wouldn't notice.

/~\

The next day, the Host club noticed something was off with Haruhi.

She was being much more distant all of a sudden. Yesterday she was just depressed, now she was nervous and jumpy. What had happened when they were away?

"Is something wrong Haru-chan?" Hunny asked innocently, starting the female host.

"W-what?" She questioned, "Something wrong? Uh, no, not that I'm aware of." She laughed nervously.

The trio eyed her suspiciously, there was totally something wrong, no matter how much she denied. Had Ichi gotten to her? No, no, that was impossible, he was still in the hospital. If he was out, Kyoya would have told them, since Kyoya always knew everything. But there had been no word from the Shadow King, so it wasn't that bastard third year. What could be wrong with her?

Suddenly, trumping was heard, and Ichi descended the stairs. The trio gawked at his presence, and Tamaki whipped over to his best friend, sending Kyoya a glare. In return, the King only received a knowing smirk.

"Good morning Ichi-senpai." Haruhi greeted in a tone much cheerier then she greeted the Host club.

"Morning." He said back, a playful smile on his face. A smile that angered the trio, he was _so_ up to something.

"When did you get back Ichi?" Hunny asked curiously.

"Yesterday." He answered, "Some time after sun set."

"What took you so long?" Hikaru growled, obviously annoyed the bastard was back.

But Ichi seemed to miss the tone. "Something about my blood," He shrugged, "how it was rare and they needed to find some. I'm not quite sure, I wasn't really listening." Haruhi wondered if when he said 'wasn't listening' he meant 'wasn't conscious'.

"Do you want anything for breakfast senpai?" Haruhi asked.

"Uh, no." He said, as if avoiding something. "I need to…go somewhere."

"For what?" Tamaki asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Um…" for once, Ichi was at a loss for words. "Just…something." He shrugged nonchalantly as his eyes drifted away.

The trio eyed him suspiciously, he was _so_, _so_ up to no good! "Can we come along?" Kaoru asked, the same thought running through the other fools' minds.

It was Ichi's turn to eye them. "Why?" He questioned.

"To bond with you." Tamaki lied. What they really wanted to do was to know his evil plan.

"Oh, well in that case…no." Their hopes rose and quickly dropped. "I'd prefer to…go alone. Please, spend time with Haruhi." He murmured something under his breath none of them caught. He gave a few nods, then rushed out the door.

"He's up to something!" Tamaki finally declared aloud once the third year was gone.

Unlike the usual declaration, Haruhi did not roll her eyes, or glare at him. She was in her own little world, oblivious of the trio's idiotic proclamations.

"What can we do Tono?" The twins asked as the three huddled into a group. They all glanced over at Haruhi, serving two costumers morning coffee.

"We need to steal her away." Tamaki said seriously. "We need to make sure he can't get to her! He's evil!"

Hikaru and Kaoru nodded in complete agreement.

"But if we kidnap her," The younger twin said, "she'll definitely resist." The three nodded again, that would be true, then she'll be more prone to Ichi.

"Maybe we can deport him!" The older twin suggested. It sounded like a downright great idea, but someone would find out. Probably Kyoya, and then they wouldn't be able to live any more.

"Bribe him?"

"Threaten him!"

"What are you three scheming?" The Shadow King was suddenly next to them, that menacing aura radiating off him.

"N-nothing!" Tamaki stuttered, scared silly.

"I certainly hope so." Kyoya said, annoyance definitely in his voice.

/~\

Ichi returned no more then fifteen minutes later.

Haruhi was the first to notice him. She saw him outside the window, on the other side of the fence. He was holding something out of view, and possibly talking to himself. He kept pushing back his hair, and his hands always seemed to make it back to his side, where his water bottles once were. Whatever he was doing, he stopped after a few moments, and made his way to the main entrance, one of his hands behind his back.

He entered, and the trio all gave him a cold glare, which he gave no mind to. What was he holding? It was wrapped in a blue paper. Were those…? Oh…wait a second….He wasn't actually going to…to…?

"Welcome back senpai." Haruhi greeted when he walked up to her.

"Uh, yeah, hey." Ichi said, a little nervous.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, noticing he was off.

He smiled amused. He pulled his hand out from behind his back to reveal a bouquet of flowers. He bowed slightly as he held them out, "Could I have the pleasure of taking you out on a date today?"

Haruhi's face flushed red as she instantly frozen. Did he seriously just ask her out? It must have been because of yesterday. He was being so romantic, charming too. She really wanted to say yes, but even stutters weren't slipping out her mouth.

'Daddy' had already fainted, limp on the ground. Hikaru was being held back by Kaoru. Kyoya was ignoring his dramatic best friend, while Hunny clapped happily and Mori smiled ever so slowly. Misuzu, who happened to be in the room, burst from joy, clapping, spinning and singing.

"Of course, of course!" He answered for Haruhi, rushing up to the two. "She'd _love_ to!" He took the bouquet and put it in her hands.

"Wonderful." Ichi smiled sincerely. "Whenever you're ready, we'll go."

"Noon!" Misuzu sang, hands proudly resting on the female host's shoulders. "Come on Haruhi-chan," He said brightly, "we have to make you look _adorable_!"

She only clutched the flowers tightly. She was still in shock. "B-but I need to finish m-my shift."

"Nonsense!" Misuzu chirped. "I can handle everything for the day!" They whisked away behind the corner, leaving the third year with the Host club.

He stood smiling for a few seconds before turning to the staircase. But Hikaru blocked his way, frowning very disapprovingly. Ichi's smile was quickly wiped off his face to be replaced with his serious expression.

"What the hell was that?" The twin questioned, anger dripping from his voice.

"It wasn't a proposal." Ichi answered, his tone almost bored.

Hikaru growled. "You don't even know her!" He yelled.

"All the more reason to ask her out." Ichi concurred.

"What do you plan on doing to her?" The freshman asked.

The senior looked at Hikaru with hints of disgust, but then hid away his emotion. "I think you mean 'with her'," He said seriously, moving past the twin, "because I'm not that kind of person." He made his way up the stairs leaving the freshman with a horrid feeling in his stomach.

The room got uncomfortably quiet. Hikaru turned to Kaoru for some sort of support, but the latter just turned away, unsure. Tamaki was still unconscious, his daughter was gone forever…Kyoya was ashamed of Hikaru's words, but had no idea how to respond to them, especially since Ichi could come back any second. Hunny had stopped eating his cake because he lost his appetite. Mori, who usually looked unmoved, was looking away, a slight frown in sight.

In no less then seven minutes later Ichi returned looking surprisingly presentable. He stormed down the stairs, giving none of them glances. He threw open the door and slammed it shut, making a few hosts recoil. They wondered where he was going for a second, but he simply sat down outside on the other side of the picket fence. He was obviously pissed off.

Would it affect the date?

/~\

11:54 AM.

Tamaki had regained consciousness long ago, and was now pacing around the lobby, constantly looking out the window at _him_. What did that bastard have that he didn't? He was the King of the Host club, _King_. No one was higher then a king. Ichi wasn't a royal, the jerk wasn't even worthy to be in the castle! Why, why had Haruhi chosen _him_? That…_savage_ was scum, scum of the earth!

Hikaru was sitting at the bar counter, that horrid feeling still in his stomach. He didn't know what it was, but it was making him sick. The thought of Haruhi and Ichi was also making him sick. Hell, that brute alone made him want to gag. He could have sworn the jackass was some sort of virus, or at least carrying some disease that made him want to puke.

11:56 AM.

Haruhi reappeared, looking so, _so_ cute.

She was wearing a blue dress because blue was her color, or so said Misuzu. Her hair was relatively unchanged, but she had an adorable lady bug hairclip (yes ladybug, Misuzu didn't have any normal ones) that, somehow, made her look older, not younger. She had hints of make up here and there, not dominating her face, but accenting her features.

Tamaki was in astonishment, hypnotized by how she looked. Hikaru, although still pissed off, felt his cheeks turn hot. Oh god, how he wanted her…

"Where's Ichi-senpai?" Haruhi asked, looking around.

"He's outside." Hunny informed, pointing to the main entrance. She thanked her tiny senior and gave a few goodbyes, along with a couple reassurances.

Walking out the door, she instantly located Ichi. He stood on the other side of the fence, dusting himself off. He bowed at her presences, making her go a little tense.

When they were closer, he smiled gently at her. "You look beautiful." He said, his voice soft. She felt her cheeks turn pink. "Shall we?" He asked, motioning towards town. She joined him, somewhat wanting to hook arms with him, and began walking.

It was quiet between them, something she found awkward. She glanced up at him, he was smiling warmly to himself. She guessed he didn't mind the silence, but it was killing her. He looked down at her, making her turn away quickly, blushing slightly.

"It's okay to say if you're nervous." Ichi said. Haruhi looked up at him, amazed he had seen through her so quickly. "I mean, I'm pretty nervous too." He laughed weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I haven't been on such a formal date in years…"

His confession made her feel more relaxed. She was glad they had mutual feelings on the subject. "So…What are we going to do today?" She asked, starting a conversation.

"Well…" He began, "If there's anything specific that you want to do, we could. All I was planning is to walk around town, get something to eat, and…talk."

"Talk?" She echoed. She found it weird that _Ichi_ wanted to chat.

"Even though we've had our–" He smirked and looked the other way "–_intimate moments_, we don't know each other very well. I'd like to know more about you, and tell you about myself…If that's okay with you."

"It's perfectly fine." She smiled, happy for the chance to learn more about him.

Now she was eager to go on this date, more so then before. He was such a mystery, and she had had so many questions she wanted to ask before, but all the previous times seemed inappropriate.

/~\

"Um…Tama-chan? Is this a good idea?"

"Of course Hunny-senpai!"

If there was one thing the Host club did often, it was stalk. But, honestly, how could they not? Haruhi was out with Ichi, _Ichi_, the god forsaken devil! When it was with Hikaru, that was much, _much_ different. Hikaru was a host, a gentleman, and trusted. He – although protested by Tamaki – was allowed to go a friendly date with Haruhi. Ichi was not.

"Isn't this an invasion of privacy?" Hunny asked, not wanting to upset Haru-chan.

"No, no." Tamaki said, waving away the idea. "We're just…making sure Ichi doesn't accidentally lose her."

Hunny looked at the King doubtfully. This was definitely going too far…

The Host club looked on secretly, in disguise of course. The twins were 'local boys', Tamaki and Mori 'workers', with Kyoya and Hunny as tourists. Yes, they were copying their previous alliances, but originality didn't matter when it came to spying. It was blending in that was more important.

"What are they doing?" Hikaru asked, trying to see past the crowds.

"They're just…talking." Kaoru answered, frowning at the couple.

They couldn't tell from their distance, but they saw Ichi moves his lips, then Haruhi would smile, nod, and reply. They were getting along, that wasn't good. The trio knew this couldn't continue, but if they interfered, Haruhi would surely denounce them from her mind, and focus completely on Ichi. Dammit! Why did she like him so much?

/~\

Haruhi found that the date was moving by quickly. It had already been two hours, and she and Ichi had gotten to the last part, the talking. They had rested next to a river, him laying back, her sitting up. They had been asking each other questions back and forth. She found her answers very average, while his were very interesting. The fact that she was learning more about him was interesting enough.

"Strawberries." She answered.

"That seems so fitting for you." He murmured, smiling to himself.

He always commented on her responses, how they were cute, or fitting, or something like that. She didn't mind though, it was reassuring, and well, made her feel fuzzy inside. "…Are you afraid of anything?" She asked, looking over at him.

He looked into her eyes, his face revealing no emotion, as usual. "To tell the truth…" He trailed. She was waiting for him to say he didn't have any fears, it seemed pretty logical. Ichi didn't seem like the kind of guy who would be scared of anything. "…I'm afraid of going overseas."

Haruhi looked at him, trying to hide her shock. So he _was_ human… "You mean like flying?" She asked.

"No." He answered, shaking his head slightly. "Literally going over seas. Boat, plane, whatever it may be, I just…_can't_."

"Why?" She questioned, hoping she wasn't getting to personal.

"I don't know." He shrugged, "It just happened. When I was a kid, I remember being on this boat, in the middle of some lake. I looked out into the nothingness and wondering, 'What if…?' Now I can't go over large bodies of water without thinking, 'What if the plane crashes?' 'What if we get stranded?' 'What if we never get rescued?'"

She looked down at him with concerned eyes. She never guessed he would have such a weakness. She could only imagine how he felt about living in Japan, a country surrounded by water. "Sorry for bringing it up…" She murmured.

"It's fine." He answered, stretching slightly. "Talking about it is a good way to cope." He looked into the sky, and she saw his eyes glaze over slightly. "Excluding the Host club, would you say your life is quiet?"

Haruhi looked at the river in thought. She nodded, "Without them, it would be a bit quiet. But definitely less hectic." Ichi sighed in a depressed way. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Your life sounds amazing…" He mumbled contently. "It's either quiet or exciting. How reassuring…"

"Is your life that different senpai?" She asked.

He nodded. "It's incredibly unpredictable and boring. I'm either hiding in my apartment or getting surprised by people I don't want to see." She wondered if he meant the Host club. "I'm not very sociable, which you probably noticed." She nodded. "I'll be honest Haruhi, Toki is my closet friend, and that is _extremely_ sad."

"I think it's nice." She contradicted, making Ichi look up at her in surprise. "Toki's so young and happy. She doesn't judge, and there isn't any pressure around her. I think that'd be a great friend."

"Such an innocent soul…" He mumbled, smirking slightly. "I wish I had your outlook on life. You make everything sound so…good."

"Not everything is good." Haruhi said, remembering Hikaru and Tamaki's constant disapproval of Ichi.

"Tell me about it…" He trailed, sighing.

She looked down at him, and a question popped into her mind. "Remember that day you apologized to Hikaru and Kaoru?" She asked. He nodded. "And how you said people hated you easily?" He continued to nod. "Why'd you say that?"

"Why I'm easily disliked?" He questioned. She nodded. "Well, because it's true. I'm usually honest, more so then before…"

"Is that why people hate you?" She asked, "Because you tell them the truth on something that would offend them?"

"Probably not." He said, "I usually keep my mouth shut, so I don't say something stupid."

That explained why he was always so quiet. "So what is it then?"

He shrugged, "I'm only passing on what I've been told. Why don't you ask Hikaru? He probably knows why."

It bothered her that Ichi knew about Hikaru's hatred. Why did Hikaru have to be so childish when it came to other guys? "I'm sorry for how he's acted." Haruhi apologized.

Ichi turned away, he seemed annoyed. "It's not your fault for what comes out of his mouth."

His statement hit Haruhi a bit hard. His tone was more then just annoyance, she detected anger, true anger. "Is something wrong senpai?" She asked.

He continued to look the other way, "No, nothing's wrong."

She eyed him suspiciously, "Did something happen between you and Hikaru?"

"No. Nothing." He answered a bit too quickly.

"If something's wrong, you can tell me." Haruhi insisted.

"It's nothing." He pushed, the anger in his voice rising.

"Senpai!" Haruhi exclaimed, wanting to get to the bottom of this. She tugged on his arm, forcing him to face her again.

He looked at her, obviously aggravated. "For god's sake Haruhi!" He exclaimed "Can't you just–!" His anger melted away into an at ease face, "Stop being so goddamn beautiful."

He pulled her into an embrace, both protective and gentle. She felt her cheeks redden. She was frozen in his grip, unsure of how to react. She liked it, but didn't know how to express it. She didn't know what to do, or what to say.

"S-senpai?" Passed through her lips.

Ichi made an intrigued noise, saying she had his attention.

"H-how did you make it into Ouran?" She cursed her inability to think under intimate moments. She's probably ruined the moment.

Haruhi felt him go stiff, and he slowly released her. He sighed deeply, and ran his hands through his hair. "I'm guessing you don't want some vague answer." He mumbled darkly.

She only nodded, regretting she had asked this question. She was still kicking herself for ruining such a nice, warm moment.

"I uh…I…" He pushed back his hair, having a hard time spiting it out. "I…won the lottery." He murmured, sounding ashamed. Her eyes widened, she completely forgot _that_ was a way to be rich… "It was…about four and a half months ago. I had just turned legal age, so I was, 'why not?'. Few days later, I suddenly have 42.7 billion yen in my pocket."

"That's…That's…" Haruhi had no words for it. She never really understood how Ichi had gotten into Ouran, but hearing his explanation, she almost didn't believe it.

"I as soon as I…well…grasped the fact I was…'rich', I enrolled into Ouran, realizing I could afford the education it offered. I mean, if I graduate from Ouran academy, I could get into any university." He looked over at her, guilt could be seen in his eyes, something she didn't understand. "I guess I'm not all that great anymore, seeing how I'm only losing money. You probably want to be with Tamaki, or Hikaru…someone who can support you financially…"

"No, no, no!" Haruhi stammered out, not wanting to make Ichi more depressed then he already seemed. "I don't care how you're rich. I never really liked how they showered me with gifts and stuff like that. I'm fine with just _being with you…_" She murmured out the last part, her cheeks grew redder as she said it.

He smiled at her, making her melt inside. He hugged her again, firmer, and more tightly then before. He laid down with her on top of him, cuddling her lovingly.

"HARUHI!" Was shouted out from somewhere, but she didn't hear it through her heartbeat, pounding in her ears. She did her best to not squirm, and slowly, she relaxed into him.

The sun was so warm on her skin, and the rocking motion of Ichi's breathing was so soothing, she eventually…began to fall…asleep…

/~\

When Haruhi awoke, the sun was close to kissing the horizon goodnight.

The golden sky made her realize that she had been asleep for a few hours. She looked up at Ichi, who's eyes were closed. He must have fallen asleep too. While staying in his arms a little longer sounded nice, it would be dark soon. They should head back.

She got out of his grip, and nudged him slightly. "Senpai…" She murmured, yawning a bit. He didn't respond though. "Senpai." She said a litter louder. He opened his eyes, squinting at the sun. He stretched, yawned, and sat up.

"Mornin'." He mumbled sleepily, smiling a sleepy smile.

She couldn't help but smile at his mood, but then remembered her point. "We should go back now."

He looked up into the sky. "Yeah, we should."

They got up, dusted themselves off, and began walking to the pensione. As they walked, the world slowly darkened. She would occasionally glance up at him, but due to the lack of lighting, she was unable to completely tell what he was thinking. She was wondering how he felt after telling her he won the lottery. It seemed like it took a lot to confess that. She really hoped it didn't offend him in any way.

As they continued, she was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't realized that they had made it back so quickly. When he stopped just outside the gateway, she stopped as well, looking at him in question.

"Although we're both staying here…" He said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I would like to, uh…" He took a quick moment. "…Kiss you goodnight before we go in."

The fact that he was _asking_ and not just going on with – like usual – it made Haruhi blush furiously. She didn't know why, it just did. She nodded meekly, afraid she would squeak while answering.

His arm slinked around her waist, pulling her closer to him, as the other traveled up her neck to her chin, tilting her head up. He leaned in close, and brushed his lips against hers. She stiffened slightly, and she heard him smirk. He rested his forehead against hers, slowly closing in. She waited for that moment their lips met, and she would go into a bliss of nothingness except for him. But…it never happened, instead she was greeted with the sickening sound of metal smacking flesh.

Ichi's arms went limp around her body, and he fell to the ground unconscious. A metal pot crashed on the road and ricocheted back up. Haruhi stood in shock, eyes widened in fear. What just happened?

She looked toward the pensione to see Hikaru in the doorway, arm still extended from the throw. He was breathing heavily and frozen in place.

"HIKARU!" She screamed, tears burning in her eyes. "What have you done?"

/~/

Hikaru was staring out the window, waiting. He was waiting for Ichi and Haruhi to get back from their little date. Watching them all day taught him a few things. One was that she and Ichi were really connecting. Two, winning Haruhi's heart was going to be much more difficult. And three, that bastard needed to die.

Then he spotted them. The two had just come into view. He waited for them to enter so he could interrogate them on what happened. Since the Host club had been spying on them the entire time, he would know if they were lying.

But then, the two stopped just outside the gate. It took him milliseconds to catch on. Hikaru's mind went both blank and into overdrive. His hand felt for something, anything, that had weight to it. He grabbed a metal handle of some sort. He ran to the front door and swung it open. By now Ichi had his arms around Haruhi.

So he threw it. The instant it left his hand, he knew it would hit Ichi. The instant it left his hand, he knew that, in no way, would it hit Haruhi. The instant it left his hand, he felt amazing.

Then it hit the pompous third year. A disgusting smack of metal and flesh echoed in his ear drums, and his mind came back to him.

"HIKARU!" Haruhi shrieked in a pitch Hikaru never knew was in her possession. "What have you done?"

Reality came crashing down harsher then gravity. It occurred to the Host what he just did, and how he might have just seriously injured a man. He was frozen in shock and fear.

Tamaki ran to the doorway to figure out what all the screaming was. He was very shocked to see Ichi on the ground, Haruhi on her knees next to the body. "What happened?" He questioned, turning a little frantic.

Hikaru said nothing, still too frozen. The King turned to Haruhi, who was gripping Ichi's arm very intently. "H-haruhi?" Tamaki questioned, approaching her slowly.

"Call an ambulance." Haruhi said seriously.

"Wha–"

"Call an ambulance!" She shouted harshly.

Tamaki rushed back into the pensione, grabbing Hikaru along the way. The twin was _still_ frozen, having a hard time grasping what he had just done.

/~\

"He has a concussion."

The lump in Hikaru's throat grew in size. He didn't mean to do it! It just–It just…_happened_. What did Ichi think of him? What did Haruhi think? What if the school found out? What if his parents found out? He wouldn't be able to live with this on his shoulders.

"It's a bit of an unusual case." The doctor continued. "_Usually_, a concussion happens from an impact on the front of the head, then the brain hits the back of the skull, then ricochets and hits the front of the skull. In–" He checked the clipboard he was holding. "–Amuza-san's case, he was hit on the right side of his head, his brain hit the left side of his skull, ricocheted, and hit the right side."

The news was depressing, and no one really knew what to say.

"Is it bad?" Tamaki asked, breaking the silence.

"Well…" The doctor said, rubbing his neck. "It's no worse then the normal concussion." 'Normal concussion' sounded wrong. "See, when the brain hits the skull, it bleeds. Luckily, only one side of his brain is bleeding, but it's a temporal lobe, it controls his hearing and his ability to recognize things."

The Host club stayed silent, not really wanting to know what that could mean.

The doctor looked around, probably finding the room awkward with depression. "…For now, it doesn't seem like it will affect him _seriously_, but he might be a bit…'scrambled' when wakes up."

"How so?" Kyoya asked, pushing up his glasses.

"Well…" The doctor said, "He might not be able to hear you clearly for a while, and he may be a bit talkative."

A few glances were exchanged throughout the hosts. A sudden page for the doctor then rang out through the PA system. He excused himself from the waiting room and left.

It was even more awkward in the room without the physician to break the silence. Haruhi had thrown Hikaru cold glances a few times, but had now stopped. Kaoru, Mori, and Hunny were doing their best to comfort the older twin the best they could without knowing the situation.

Hikaru and Haruhi hadn't spoken about what happened. The latter was too shocked and the former was too mad. It resulted in everyone else thinking the worse.

Then, the doctor returned, a small smile on his face.

"I have good news." He said in a happy tone. "Azuma-san's awake and fine, he can hear perfectly."

An invisible tension lifted from the room. The weight on Hikaru was finally gone. Haruhi's eyes grew in hope and cheer.

"_But_…" The Doctor said, looking nervous. "He has amnesia."

* * *

**A/N:** I know, I know, amnesia is soooooo cliché. Well y'know what? Chick flicks and romantic comedies wouldn't exist without cliché, SO GET USED TO IT.  
A few of you may be thinking "Gee Wiz LizNinja, where's that little segment in Ichi's POV?" Well, our dear love interest lost his memory, so he has nothing to remember! (Yes I'm lame like that).  
I promised a certain someone –hopefully you know who you are– that I'd update early for them. I don't know if this is earlier then usual, but I've been so swamped with SCHOOL, GUITAR, YOGA, Wii FIT, and general laziness (plus a cold) I've been kinda unable to write even though I know what's going to happen next (yeah, it's a weird thing with me).

ANYWAY, C'est la vie.

REVIEWS WOULD BE THE BEE'S KNEES, THANK YOU!

-LizNinja


	10. t e n

Chapter Ten

He woke up with the nagging feeling that he was missing something in his life.

He didn't know what, but he just knew. He rubbed his eyes to correct his morning vision, and he realized a couple things. First, it wasn't morning, it was night. Second, it wasn't his room. At least, he didn't believe it was his room. He was in a hospital of some sort. He was in a bed with a white curtain half closed, or half opened, depending on the situation. There was another bed in the room, empty, and a few machines that he didn't know the purpose for.

He scratched his head in confusing and recoiled from a mild pain. He touched there again and learnt of a bump on his head he couldn't remember how he acquired. Now he was very lost, maybe he should talk to someone.

He looked around. It was quiet, so shouting aloud 'Hello! Anyone around?' seemed wrong, in a sense. He couldn't get up, there were a few wires attached to him, and taking them off also seemed wrong. He looked around again, and this time, noticed a button on the outside of the bed frame (something he found unnecessary). He pushed it, not even acknowledging the fact it could drastically change his bed position.

But nothing happened. He pushed it again. He swore he heard the faintest _ping_ somewhere, but he didn't know where it was coming from. He held the button down, now determined to know what it did, and to locate that _ping_.

In moments, a woman appeared. She was wearing scrubs, so he assumed her a nurse. "You're awake!" She stated, looking shocked.

"Yes, I am." He said.

"Hold on, I'll get the doctor."

Then she left. He felt somewhat saddened, seeing how she popped in, got his hopes up for something, then left, leaving him in the dust.

A minute or so later, the nurse returned with the doctor she spoke of. The doctor checked the machines connected to the wires that connected to Him. He felt weird being acknowledged but not completely acknowledged.

"You're looking very healthy Azuma-san." The doctor said.

He stared blankly at the physician. Who the heck was Azuma-san? He certainly wasn't, but perhaps this doctor thought so through reasons currently unknown. He didn't think he was Azuma-san, that name rang no bell whatsoever. But he decided to play along, for the sake of…He'd have to think of a reason later.

"…Thanks." He said a few moments too late.

"How's your head feel?" The doctor asked.

"Okay I guess." He said, "But there's a bump. It hurts when I touch it."

"Yes, it'll be like that for a while."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

He looked at the doctor. The physician was calm, He liked that. "How did I get it?" He asked.

The doctor looked at him, eyes widened slightly. "You don't remember?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"That's not good."

Apparently, the bump wasn't good, and He didn't like the way the doctor said it. Was it a tumor? Was it an unnatural growth? He felt a chill go through him.

"Do you remember anything about today?" The doctor asked.

He shrugged. "I remember waking up." He said. Waking up a few minutes ago though, but he assumed the doctor knew that.

"That's not good."

"Oh really?"

"I'll be right back." The physician left the room along with the nurse He forgot about momentarily.

\~/

"Amnesia?" Haruhi questioned, not believing what she was hearing.

"It's not _that_ bad." The doctor said, holding up his clipboard slightly in a defensive manner. "He said he remembers waking up, but that's about it…"

The female host shot a very cold glare to Hikaru for about the tenth time that hour. She was still wondering how he could do such a thing. Ichi was a good guy, yet the stubborn twin couldn't see that for some egotistical reason.

"Is there any way to get his memory back?" Kyoya asked, pushing up his glasses.

"Well…" The doctor said, "Amnesia is a very tricky thing. It could be lost forever, or it could return in a few weeks, _or_ it may simply take a trigger word." He checked his watch. "He's feeling much better, and it _is_ visiting hours. Please, feel free to visit him and help him remember. Room 274."

Haruhi and Tamaki were at the front of the line through the halls. Following was Kyoya, taking out his phone to make a call regarding the bills. Then was Hikaru, being comforted by Hunny and Kaoru. Then, holding up the back was Mori.

When they got to room 274, they entered carefully, unsure of how Ichi would be. He was sitting in his bed, looking very stoic. His hand would keep slinking up to his head, where he would then give a look of pain, and throw his arm the other way. He repeated that a few times for reasons the Host club couldn't understand.

"S-senpai…?" Haruhi said cautiously.

Ichi didn't looked up, or even flinch.

"I-Ichi?" Tamaki tried, cowering slightly.

The third year glanced up at them, then looked away. He did a double take, looked around the room, and turned back to them. "Hello." He said quietly, something that seemed a bit off for Ichi. He looked at them, as if studying them, then smiled weakly. He looked nervous for some reason.

"How are you feeling?" Haruhi asked concerned.

He shrugged as he looked away, "Fine I guess." He mumbled to them. He gripped the back of his neck, continuing to avoid their gaze.

Something was very off about Ichi. Usually he was cocky, over confident, quiet, but always radiating a mood that said 'don't mess with me'. Now, all of a sudden, he was just quiet, nothing smug or arrogant about it. He was refusing to look at them, compared to how he usually stared at them head-on. Did the hit to his head change him somehow?

"I-I'm sorry Ichi." Hikaru then apologized, surprising the hosts. He was so stubborn, they never really expected him to say sorry.

"It's fine." The third year said shrugging again. "I mean, it wasn't your fault completely, right?" Hikaru and Haruhi _would_ have stood completely shocked if it weren't for the fact Ichi didn't remember today. Should they tell him? How would he feel?

"You really can't remember anything?" Hunny asked, pouting sadly.

Ichi shook his head. "Not a thing."

"Then we'll help you!" Tamaki said encouragingly, now determined to help the poor man.

"Uh…thanks." Ichi said, looking a little confused. "So…What happened?"

"You went on a date with Haruhi today." Kyoya stated, closing his cellphone.

"…" He was silent as his eyes traveled over the hosts. Then he landed on Haruhi, but his eyes continued on, as if searching. "Who?"

Now, the host club was shocked, completely, utterly, shocked. "Y-you don't know who Haruhi is?" Kaoru asked in disbelief.

"To be honest," Ichi said, "I have no idea who any of you are."

More shock. "But you said you remember waking up this morning!" Hikaru exclaimed

"I suppose I was misinterpreted," He stated, "I meant a few minutes ago. It was a bit of a smart-ass remark. I'm surprised the doctor didn't understand that, but…" He shrugged again.

"Do you remember anything?" Haruhi asked, now very worried.

"…" He stayed quiet as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Anything?" Tamaki questioned, "Where you live? Your own name?"

"Well…" He said, "According to everyone else, I'm Ichi Azuma. But, honestly, that doesn't sound very familiar to me."

"This isn't good." Mori stated, making everyone realize the seriousness of the situation.

/-\

He felt unusually awkward admitting he didn't know who these people were. But it was quickly replaced with offence. These people didn't even introduce themselves when he said he didn't know them. Now they were going on, talking around him as if he wasn't there. If it weren't for the fact he was naked under the medical robe, he would stormed right out of there.

But unfortunately, he was naked no matter what, and still wired to the machines. So leaving was not an option. He was getting really annoyed by these people. Okay, so he'd admit the lone girl was cute, but the fact she was staring at him was a little bothersome. Perhaps _she_ was the Haruhi. Were…were he and she dating? Were they boyfriend and girlfriend? Oh man, she must be seriously pissed off.

"Umm…" He said aloud, getting their attention immediately.

"Wha-what is it Ichi?" The tall blonde asked.

Again, the name Ichi didn't sound familiar, but he ignored it for now. "So, I _know_ you people?" They all nodded. "_How_ exactly?"

"We all go to school together!" The kid said, making Him widen his eyes in surprise. That child was in the same school as him?

Then he realized something. He didn't even know his own age. Having amnesia was very weird. He didn't really realize things until they occurred to him, like how he didn't know his name, or his age, or where he lived.

"We should get him back to the pensione." The guy with glasses said.

He was definitely reluctant to go somewhere with these people, especially with a lump on his head, tubes running in him, wires connected to him, and the uncomfortable sensation something was amiss. However, they claimed to know you him, and since he was otherwise stranded due to lack of memory, joining them would be the most logical answer.

\~/

The easiest way to describe Ichi on the way back was hesitant.

It was almost like he didn't trust them. It was understandable, the man claimed he didn't know who they were. That said, it made the Host club strangers to him, and who would want to go into a car with strangers? (Of course it was a limo, but regardless). He had yet to look at anyone in the eye, though there was a second where he and Haruhi glanced at each other simultaneously.

He seemed very worried, but it didn't seem related to the situation at hand. That is to say, it seemed like something was eating at him. They would ask him, but he wasn't really responding to him. He either didn't recognize they were calling to him ("Ichi…Ichi…" He continues to look out the window), or he was ignoring them, like in the days he would wonder the halls at Ouran. They were reluctant to touch him, since he was so cautious around them.

When they arrived at the penisone, Ichi got out through the other door. Hikaru, although sorry for giving the third year a concussion, couldn't help but think the man was still an arrogant bastard.

"What is this place?" Ichi said, eyeing the pensione.

"This is where you're staying for your vacation." Kyoya informed him. Ichi only frowned, following the group indoors.

Inside, there were no costumers. It had been a few hours since the Hosts had left the hospital with Ichi (the staff said besides the memory loss, Ichi was very healthy and free to leave), so Misuzu and a closed pensione seemed understandable. Walking in, the room instantly brightened when the crossdresser laid eyes on the poor third year.

"Oh Ichi-kun!" Misuzu hugged Ichi and the Hosts swore they saw cartoon hearts pop up.

Ichi gave no expression to the embrace. He slowly pried the cross-dresser off him. "Please don't do that." He said flatly.

Misuzu frowned as the good mood dimmed. "Don't take any offense Misuzu." Kyoya said stepping forward as Ichi stepped back. "He's, unfortunately, lost him memory. He's still getting used to us." The shadow king couldn't help but eye the notorious trio, who were now 'nonchalantly' invading the third year's personal space.

"Oh Ichi-kun!" Misuzu cried hand to chest, shooing the trio away. "You poor soul!" A comforting pat on the hand was given as he stared deadly into Ichi's eyes.

The third year gave a weak smile and retrieved his hand as subtly as he could. "You're…" He cleared his throat in an awkward fashion, "very kind." It was obvious he was uncomfortable.

Misuzu kindly sat Ichi down as he motioned the others to follow suit. He ventured behind to bar to give out a few drinks. "So the poor boy doesn't remember a thing?" He questioned placing a few cups down.

Ichi shrugged as he gripped his neck again (nervous habit?). "He claims he can't remember anything." Hikaru filled in, a little snark detectable.

"I know general things." The third year mumbled.

Hunny smiled brightly as he bounced in his chair. "Really?" He asked excited. "Like what, like what? Tell us!"

Ichi shrugged again. "I don't know, just general things. How to speak, common sense, manners, look both ways before crossing the street. I don't know, don't ask me these things." He looked away as a troubled expression dawned his face. Haruhi looked at him concerned, worried he keeping something to himself. She desperately wanted to help him, but it seemed like he didn't want to cooperate.

The hosts stared at Ichi. A few noticed that he would occasionally glance at them nervous, them shift around in his seat. This definitely was not the usual Ichi, who was smug and arrogant. The man currently sitting in front of them was – dare they say it? – bashful, shy and, timid. The picture was so wrong it was skin crawling (at least for the notorious trio).

"Perhaps we should tell Ichi stories about himself," Tamaki suggest. "to 'jumpstart' his memory." It was almost shameful he actually used air quotations.

Ichi shrugged, "_Sure, why not."_ He mumbled.

\~/

"And then we, uh…broke your vase."

Admitting they broke the 5,500,000 vase to Ichi was extremely difficult and awkward. He stayed quiet the entire time, not even flinching.

"…" He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. "Was it important?" He asked after a few moments.

The Hosts looked at each other. They had two choices. 1. Tell Ichi the truth, risk being yelled at, possibly verbally abused, but a memory could be gained. Or 2. Lie to Ichi, and risk another hour telling him stories. They decided, despite the fact he was scary when angry, that it was one of them – Hikaru – who forced this unfortunate situation upon him, and that it was their duty to help him.

So, they nodded. "It was a gift from one of your friends." Tamaki said, the guilt resurfacing in his gut.

"It was…an antique." Kaoru murmured, him too feeling guilty.

"It was 5,500,000 Yen." Kyoya stated, making everyone twitch slightly at the cost, and how they stilled owed him for it (even if he did dismiss it).

"5,500,000 Yen?" Ichi echoed. The hosts nodded. "That's just…really reckless of you people."

Hikaru smacked his forehead with his palm. Even though he was the one who gave the third year that unsightly bump, he was ready to strangle the man. His mind was just refusing to remember! Either that, or he was screwing around with them, like he used to do. The twin had a very simple solution as to how to regain the lost memories. Hit Ichi with another pan. It _should_ make him remember, or at least, Hikaru assumed it would. He had seen it on T.V a few times, once on a reality show. It could work, but he doubted anyone else would go for it.

"Maybe we should turn in for the night." Tamaki said in a sigh. "It's getting late."

They glanced at their own individual teller of time; some a phone, others a watch. Ichi looked at his wrist, as if he had a watch on, which he did not. He checked his other arm, realizing too that it had no watch.

"It's almost midnight." Mori stated for the amnesia victim. A small nod of thanks was given in return.

"We'll be back tomorrow morning." Tamaki said as everyone stood up from the table.

Ichi only nodded slightly, a sad look glazed in his eyes. It had been a few hours and then some off minutes since the eight of them had returned home, and still the man had yet to look at anyone in the eye. Something was wrong, more so then the amnesia.

When the hosts left, Haruhi tugged on Ichi's arm.

"Come on senpai." She said, leading him up the stairs, "I'll show you your room."

He followed her timidly, not really responding. He had been like that through the retelling of his life. Just listening, not showing any sign of emotion – not like that _wasn't_ the Ichi they knew – it just seemed like he didn't believe them, like he was just hearing stories about someone else.

"This is your room." Haruhi announced when the two stopped in front of the second last door on the left.

He only looked at her. He leaned in close, very close. She quickly flushed red, but didn't move. "_You're very cute…_" He mumbled lightly, then kissed her softly.

Even though he had forgotten everything they have shared together, Haruhi liked being kissed by Ichi again. It gave the reassuring façade that he actually remembered there was something between them. He pulled back and stared at her with a look that seemed to say he never lost his memory. But, it quickly faded back to that nervousness. He mumbled a quiet goodbye and snuck into his room, making little noise.

Still caught in that haze Ichi always would cast on her, Haruhi stood in front of his door a little longer then the norm…

/-\

When He woke up, he was flooded with memories.

He could remember up to a point, and beyond that point were the seven who were recently accompanying him. They were still a mystery, along how he got here, surely a lot more that had yet to occur to him, and – most importantly – himself.

Well, actually, that was a bit untrue. Yesterday, just before he was going to go to bed, he found a book in his suitcase. (Awkwardly, it didn't feel like he owned the suitcase, so it felt like he was going through someone else's stuff.) The book was titled You, A Guide To Your Personality, because apparently, while everyone is different, everyone's personality can be put into one of four categories.

There was a test on how to figure out what personality you were, and little areas to mark your answers. Reading through it, looking at the answers to the questions, made him wonder what kind of person he was–he is.

An example of a question: If you were to commit suicide:

I would never commit suicide, I just couldn't do it.

I would have to do it painlessly.

I'd only do it if I were terminally ill.

I'd take everyone with me first.

The answer written: D

Well, he couldn't for the life of him think of why he would take everyone with him. Maybe it was just the amnesia talking, but he would never kill himself. Maybe it _was_ the amnesia talking; he didn't really know who he was, so taking his life would feel like talking someone else's.

He didn't have time to check what personality he did have, because he began feel nauseous near the end of the test. Maybe because he felt like he was invading someone else's life, or because he felt trapped in a life too dark for the person he was now. Either way, he couldn't continue reading, and went to bed, hoping to erase what he learnt.

But, even after a deep sleep, and a rush of his past, he still felt locked within his body. The only thing he could think of that would correct his feelings was to regain his proper memory. It would probably explain everything.

So, He did the usual morning routine, threw on some clearn clothes, and left his room to the lobby in search of the seven. But, they weren't there. He was baffled for a few seconds, due to the fact he was told they would be here, but he quickly realized the situation. All of the chairs were on the tables upside down. It made him assume that the motel/hotel/bed and breakfast wasn't even open yet! It must have been dawn or something, seeing how it was bright out, yet it was closed.

Going back to his room seemed boring. It looked like such a nice day out, he should go out for a morning stroll. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

A nice, long, walk.

\~/

"He's missing?"

With or without memory, Ichi was a god forsaken pain. The man just didn't know how to behave properly. The host club were trying to be good people, helping the poor unfortunate to regain his memory, _however_, the man has to just up and disappear! He couldn't stay still could he? He just didn't have the common sense to _not_ wonder around!

"What should we do?" Hunny asked a tad worried.

Tamaki then got a strong look of determination on his face. "We'll split up and find him!" He proclaimed. The fellow hosts soon got the same look of determination (besides Kyoya). "Hikaru! Kaoru!" He shouted, "You two go check the market! Mori-senpai! Hunny-senpai! Check around the neighborhood! Kyoya and I will go look around the river and the edge of town!"

Everyone saluted and jumped into action.

"What about me senpai?" Haruhi asked eagerly.

"Stay here with Misuzu-san incase Ichi comes back." The king instructed, and then he was off, dashing into a black limo.

\~/

Kyoya isn't exactly the kind of man who went around, on foot, looking for people when there were so much easier ways. Convincing Tamaki that going around in the limo would cover more ground took longer then the shadow king would have liked, but he won in the end, and that was all that mattered.

Actually, the thing that mattered now was the fact that Tamaki had lost his common sense. He had pressed his face up against the window, searching for any sign of Ichi. Of course, he was too blinded by his determination to think clearly and roll down the window. Now, Kyoya was stuck with a fool and a smudged window.

"There! There! Kyoya, I see him!"

The limo halted to a stop and Tamaki ran out, Kyoya following calmly. They saw Ichi crouching near the river, looking in with glazed eyes. The King ran for him, making sure he wouldn't fall in.

"Ichi!" Tamaki called to the third year, "Thank goodness we found you!"

"Oh, Tamaki, Kyoya." Ichi replied, standing up properly.

"Y-you know who we are!" Tamaki examined surprised.

"Uh, yeah." The third year nodded, "I was walking around, then I suddenly remembered yesterday…_All_ of yesterday, and then everything fell back into place."

"Wonderful!" The king smiled proudly.

"Well, actually…" Ichi looked away embarrassed.

"You don't remember _everything_, do you?" Kyoya questioned knowingly.

"…No." Ichi hung his head in, what the sophomores assumed, shame. "I'm sorry."

"I-it's fine Ichi." Tamaki said, a little taken aback by the third year's sudden vulnerability. "It's not your fault."

"I'll call the others and tell them we've found you." Kyoya informed, whipping out his cellphone. He proceeded to go back to the limo.

"Thanks for, you know, picking me up." Ichi mumbled as he and Tamaki followed the Shadow King. "I don't know how I've missed your kindness before."

Tamaki cringed at the senior's kind statement. He felt bad, seeing how he hadn't been exactly 'kind' to Ichi as of recent. They _were_ just spying on him yesterday… "We just haven't spent that much time together." The sophomore replied, laugh nervously.

"Yeah," Ichi responded, "You're probably right."

/-\

Sitting in the limo, He felt…odd.

He wasn't feeling awkward like he did yesterday, he just felt…out of place. He had regained a decent portion of his memory, but was still missing major chucks. Like who he was. How–how could he forget himself for so long? It may have only been less then 24 hours, yet it felt like days, weeks even. Why? He didn't know. Was it because he felt trapped? These questions had already gone around his head multiple times, and still he couldn't answer them.

Then, suddenly, as he was staring out the car window, he–he saw something. It was like a vision. A woman, a woman he didn't recognize. It didn't even last a second, and felt more like a dream then a memory. Was she someone he knew? He couldn't recall, partly due to the fact he couldn't remember what her face looked like. It was too fast, too vague.

"Ichi," Tamaki called calmly, "we're here."

He only nodded, his voice temporarily gone due to his – possible – epiphany.

There they were, back at the hotel/motel/bed and breakfast. He knew the rest of the Host club was waiting for him. But he had things to mull over in his head first. "I'll uh, be in in a second." He said to Tamaki and Kyoya. He received two confused looks, but nods nonetheless. They went inside and left him alone.

Slowly, He dropped to the ground, and spread his arms out like wings. He looked up to the bright sky and started to ponder. He had some questions he had previous refused to ask himself.

The feeling he had in the hospital, the feeling of something amiss, was back. Well, it had never really left, only dulled. His recent vision had caused an unsettling feeling in his stomach, mixed with these previous feelings, he was being to feel nauseous again. What was causing this problem? He felt it was something related to his morality. Whatever was amiss – a word starting to get on his nerves – felt big, and way above his head. Hopefully it would go away.

He had also noticed he felt small twinges when near Haruhi. The twinges were usually located near his upper stomach and chest area. According to the rules of television and literature, this meant he had feelings for Haruhi. In all honesty, yes she had a cute charm, but he couldn't recall any previous feels for her. Was he in a secret relationship with her? He could remember asking her out yesterday, but he couldn't recall the feelings and/or thoughts behind it. He assumed some of his missing memories held to key to this predicament.

Lastly, it seemed that one of the twins, Hikaru he believed, didn't like him. He called upon all his will power to summon some sort of answer, or to remember relevant memories, but it was useless. His mind was refusing to cooperate (which was understandable, he couldn't control his brain). He could only assume that he had done something to offend the boy, which made and yet didn't make sense. The red head had caused His unsightly bump, but he couldn't imagine what He had down to angry the first year to the point of giving someone a concussion.

As he stared at the sky, he took in a heavy breath. Again, he had a vision of that women, and this time, he almost threw up.

\~/

"What's he doing?" Kaoru asked looking out the window.

"He's just…lying there." Tamaki answered, peering over the red head's shoulder.

Ichi had been lying on the grass for over twenty minutes since he, Tamaki, and Kyoya had returned. A few of them thought he had fallen asleep.

"I'll go talk to him." Haruhi stated, heading out the door. Eyes followed her the entire way.

Outside, Ichi was on the grass, staring straight at the sky. She stared at him for a few moments, and he didn't move, not even to look at her. "Hey senpai." She said, sitting down next to him.

"Hey." He quietly responded, still not looking at her.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked. Obviously he had been thinking about _something_ or else he wouldn't have been lying there for so long.

He shrugged, "Things." He mumbled, finally meeting her gaze. "You…" He added.

A steady blush grew on Haruhi's cheeks. "I-is that so?" She questioned.

He continued to stare at her with a strong intensity. She refused to look away, and met his gaze continuously. Looking at him, she noticed that his eyes were…softer somehow, gentler then what Ichi's eyes usually looked like; cold, emotionless spheres.

"Haruhi…" He said sitting upright, "Are we in a relationship?"

"W-what?" She questioned, her face turning a dark red.

"Are we in a relationship?" He repeated to her, staring at her sternly.

"W-well, I–we, it's not, _not_ a relationship b-but…" She couldn't help stuttering. To have him ask such a question so bluntly, and to attempt to explain what was between them, well, it was embarrassing.

He continued staring her, "Well?" He asked, his expression adorably confused. She could feel herself growing redder looking at him. Curse her feelings for him, if it was anyone else, she would be perfectly able to explain their relationship.

She just shook her head, "It's hard to explain…" She murmured, turning away to hide her obvious blush.

"Oh…" He mumbled laying back down, disappointment in his voice.

He turned his back to her, staying silent for a few moments. Haruhi didn't know what to say, so she said nothing, waiting for him. She heard him sigh, then he lifted himself up and treaded inside, depression clearly looming over him. She followed him in after a few moments to gain her bearings, pushing the thoughts to the side of her mind for later.

Inside, the notorious trio was frantic to learn what Haruhi and Ichi had just discussed. The latter had taken a seat on the far side of the café, head in hands. They were a bit reluctant to question Haruhi when the subject was right there, but they _had_ to know.

"_Haruhi!_" Hikaru called quietly. She looked over to him, and he motioned her over.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at how pathetic the trio was being, but she obliged anyway. "Yeah?" She questioned.

"_SHH!_" Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki exclaimed at her, making her jump back a bit at her seriousness of the situation.

"Okay, okay, sorry." She said quieter, but not as quiet as them. "What is it?"

"_What did he talk to you about?_" Tamaki questioned.

Kyoya, Mori, and Hunny soon joined the huddle. It was pretty obvious they were talking about Ichi, due to the fact the notorious trio continued to peak out at him. But the third year seemed oblivious, too engrossed in his sudden depression.

"I don't think I should say…" Haruhi mumbled, looking away.

"_Why not?_" Hikaru questioned angrily.

Haruhi glared at him. "He confided in me!" She exclaimed, a little too loud for the huddle. "I can't just relieve it so lightly! He trusts me."

A few hosts sighed in defeat, and the circle relaxed slightly.

"You seem to be the only one he trusts." Kyoya stated, pushing up his glasses.

Haruhi took this as a surprise. "Really?" She asked. "That's not possible. There has to be _someone_ else."

"I agree with Kyo-chan." Hunny said, raising his hand. "Besides you and Toki-chan, Ichi doesn't have many people to talk to."

Mori nodded in agreement. "The only time he's spoken to someone besides us was Renge, when she was interviewing him."

"And we haven't been treating him so kindly recently, have we?" Tamaki questioned, making a few hosts cringe in guilt and shame.

"We should make it up to him somehow," Kaoru said, "by getting his memory back."

Hikaru however, was not as enthusiastic to help Ichi as much as the rest of the host club. Granted, the red head had caused this unfortunate turn of events, but honestly, he didn't want to help. With a loss of memory, Ichi could theoretically be pushed out of the picture. If he couldn't remember himself, that could mean he didn't remember his feelings toward Haruhi. That could mean that, under his own power, Ichi could just choose not to be with Haruhi. Then, with Haruhi's poor little heart broken, Hikaru could swoop in, comfort her, and be the hero that he obviously is.

It was a brilliantly cruel plan.

The hosts all nodded, determination fueling them. They walked over to the table Ichi was sitting at and took a seat. He was a bit surprised by their presence but didn't dismiss them. Tamaki sat next to him, and Mori was on his other side. Next to Mori was Hunny, who sat next to Kyoya, who sat next to Haruhi. Hikaru, being the immature stubborn boy he was, sat at a separate near-by table. Kaoru, having always stuck by his brother, had no choice but to sit with him.

"How are you feeling Ichi?" Tamaki asked, concerned. "You seem a bit depressed." 'A bit' didn't cover it. For as long as the Host club was huddling, Ichi was over here, his head in his hands, and a dark cloud looming above him. Even though he had revealed his face, it was clear it wasn't hiding his sadness.

"I'm not depressed." He said emotionlessly. They all took it as a lie, but choose not to blow it.

"Regardless," Kyoya said, folding his arms over his chest, "We want to help you get your full memory back."

"Right!" Tamaki cheered, determination burning in his eyes. "First thing's first, what _can't_ you remember?"

It was the type of question that only an idiot – like Tamaki – could ask. There was no way Ichi could answer that question, seeing how he didn't remember what he couldn't remember. Alas, the King of the Host club didn't grasp that concept.

"Well…" Ichi said, eyes not rolling in shame like the rest of the hosts, "I can't remember who I am, or how I enrolled into Ouran. Plus a few other things I probably don't remember…"

Even though he had their attention, the hosts were now even more interested in what Ichi had to say. The man had been a mystery since they first learnt of him. To think that they had a chance to learn something important about him – like how he got into the academy – was exciting.

"How do you know you can't remember that?" Haruhi asked.

"Well…" Ichi said, "it's a bit hard to explain, but the way I see it is…I go through the memories I have, as far back as I can. I proceed on, through the years, and eventually get to this spot where it's just a chuck of nothing, then suddenly, I'm in Ouran…Wait, that's not right. I go through the years, and _then _suddenly, I'm in Ouran, so I just assume I'm missing a big chuck which holds my enrollment."

They stared at him, surprised he explained it so clearly when he said it was difficult. Unfortunately, the problem that faced them now was the fact that they too, had no idea as to how Ichi enrolled into Ouran, or how they could help him remember them.

"_What can we do_?" Hunny mumbled under his breathe innocently, truly unsure of how to help.

Clearing his throat to break the awkwardness that had formed, Kyoya leaned forward slightly. "Unfortunately Ichi," He said, "we aren't sure as to how you enrolled either."

"Oh." Was all the third year replied.

"We should start with who you are." Mori stated flatly.

"_A cocky, arrogant bastard?_" Hikaru murmured under his breathe, which resulted in a firm smack in the arm from Kaoru.

"Actually," Ichi said, missing Hikaru's jeer, "I have this book that could help us. I'll go get it."

He stood up and went around the table, passing by a certain twin. Hikaru, the new found hell raiser he suddenly was, held his leg out to trip Ichi a few seconds before the latter passed by. It was an 'innocent' trick, he doubted the third year would fall for it. But, much to Hikaru's surprise, Ichi was caught and tripped, and unfortunately, he was unable to catch himself in time.

To put it simply, watching a tall man fall is anything _but_ graceful. Time somehow slows down, and the only thought going through anyone's mind is the inevitable crash. The few seconds it should take to reach the ground take, what seems like, minutes, and then…_smack_. He's on the ground, and somehow, it seems like it went faster then blinking.

Ichi landed on the ground head first. At the last moment, he turned his head sideways to avoid a broken nose, and landed on the worst possibility; his newly acquired bump from the accident. The room went silent as they stared at the – hopefully alive – corpse, frozen in shock.

There was a moan and/or groan of some sort that came from the body. Its foot twitched, and back arched up slightly. Another groan floated through the room, and then an unidentifiable murmur. "…mmber…"

"_He's alive…_" Hikaru whispered to himself.

"…bloody little…" The body moaned, stirring on the ground.

"_We should do something…_" Tamaki whispered, a bit scared to alert the corpse.

Ichi's body attempted to sit up correctly, but it failed, and slumped back to the ground. "I remember something…" It said.

"What do you remember Ichi-senpai?" Haruhi asked, rushing to his side.

"…How I got into Ouran…?" The body asked in a sleepy tone, as if not sure. There was an electric shock that passed through the room. This was something that the Host club had been wanting to know, practically, since they met the man! "I…I think I…_won the lottery_…"

It was so silent in the room that Ichi's words were as clear as day.

The third year realized what he said and jumped up, running up the stairs, no sign of ailments affecting him. The hosts looked at each other, the same thought going through their heads.

Somehow, knowing that Ichi got into Ouran by winning the lottery made him…_dirtier_.

/-\

_He returned to his home to have his worst fears in motion._

_First, it was broken into, that automatically scared him. He could only tell because the door was still left ajar, something that just generally bothered him (they didn't have the decency/intelligence to close the damn door?)._

_He slid into the apartment, quickly closing the door behind him. He put his bag on the ground, and grabbed the metal baseball bat that he kept next to the front door. He gathered his wits and cursed under his breathe for being so damn pathetic. He could take whoever was here uninvited. He was a tough man. _

_Second, the place was tidy. That worried him because he made him assume the thief knew what they were after. That meant they probably found it, since the place was untouched._

_He held his bat in a neutral stance, difficult to distinguish between defensive and offensive. He was on edge, he could feel it. The smallest noise was making him jump. He was unsure if he felt confident in taking the intruders – if they were still here – or like he was digging his own grave. _

_Third, the thought of a gun was now in his mind, and he was just walking into a trap. He cursed his stupidity for not calling the police. Alerting the authorities wasn't the same as running away, right? _

_There was one room left, and he was in fear of his life now. He felt scared, like before. This part of him hadn't seen the light in years, and now that it was surfacing, it was quickly overpowering his new side. He opened the door to his bedroom, and it was dark, like he feared. Fantastic, he was at a disadvantage. _

_There was a slight giggle and chills enveloped his spine. "Hi Ichi-sama…"_

_He jumped, literally, and shakily rose he bat to attack, only to recognize the voice. _

_He lowered his weapon. _

"_For the love of–you scared the crap out of me...Now get out."_

* * *

I'm alive? I know, I'm shocked too.

Actually had to COMPLETELY redo this chapter so it would fit with what's to come.

Didn't proof read cause I wanted this up ASAP.

Only a few more chapters left everyone! This are gonna get SERIOUS.

PLEASE BELIEVE IN ME (and review)!

-LOVE LOVE LOVE, Lizninja.


	11. e l e v e n

Chapter Eleven

For Haruhi, it felt good to be back at school.

She didn't miss summer, instead, she missed Ichi. She hadn't seen him since he – literally – ran away from the pensione the day he admitted his fortune. The host club had attempted to make her forget him by taking her on domestic trips, but nothing had worked. All she could think about was Ichi, what he admitted to her, and why he would be so ashamed of winning the lottery.

"Haruhi-kun!" Female voices called out to her. Turning South-East, she saw her usual costumers, smiling brightly. "It's been so long!" One said.

"We were so disappointed that the Host club didn't hold another beach party!" Another pouted.

Haruhi could only fake a smile and shrug, "I'm sorry," She said, "but it's up to Kyoya-senpai, not me. To be honest, I would have liked to have the party." It was a lie, but 'anything to please the princesses' as Tamaki would say.

"Ohh Haruhi-kun." The girls murmured dreamily, swooning.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, the female host noticed Ichi walking to the school. She quickly said goodbye to the girls, and rushed over to the third year. "Ichi-senpai!" She called out to him.

He turned around, and a look of fear seemed to wash over him. It disappeared in a hurry, and was replaced with nervousness, something Ichi wasn't known to be. "H-haruhi, what a p-pleasure it is to see you…" He pulled at his tie, and rubbed the back of his neck.

Haruhi eyed him with concern. His voice; it wasn't as dark as usual. Instead, it was lighter, weaker, and possibly strained. "Is something wrong senpai?" She questioned, "You seem…different."

He laughed nervously, pulling at his neck again. "Well, uh, you see…" He cleared his throat. "I just…I, uh…" He pulled at his shirt collar, revealing a thin red strip of leather.

Curious and confused, Haruhi looked closer, tugging away his collar to reveal…a _dog_ _collar_. She called it a dog collar because that's what it exactly looked liked, it even had a small golden tag that read 'My Dog'. "What is this senpai?" She questioned a tad enraged.

"It's, uh…" At a loss for words, he shooed away her hand and backed up slightly.

"Hey Haruhi!" Hikaru's voice rang out, but Haruhi didn't turn to look at him. She continued to stare at Ichi, waiting for an answer.

Backing up more, he pulled up his shirt collar to hide his dog one. "I, uh, need to get class…bye!" He ran away.

As he rushed to the building, she noticed that even his walk was different. He was hunching, his feet were dragging, his hands weren't in his pants pockets – like usual – but in his jacket. (What was _really_ weird though was the fact that Haruhi noticed all of the differences).

Hikaru then appeared by her side. He chose not to question what she and Ichi were talking about, showing he had some restraint. "Where have you been the last few days?" He asked. "We all wanted to have an end of summer party, but no one could get a hold of you. Not even Kyoya-senpai."

Haruhi, still watching Ichi disappear into the building, shook her head slightly to regain focus. "I was just reviewing all my notes. That's all."

Hikaru looked down at her, and saw the distance look in her eyes. He knew she was thinking about Ichi, but he wasn't questioning it. After what he did to the third year, he was trying to be nicer. "C'mon Haruhi, class is going to start soon."

She only nodded absent mindedly, following Hikaru inside.

/~\

"Something's wrong with Ichi-senpai." Haruhi stated sternly at lunch.

The host club had met up in the third music room for their first day back. They were all sitting around enjoying their time together again. But, no matter how much time the Hosts spent with Haruhi, her mind would never leave the thought of _him._

Hunny and Mori nodded in agreement. "We saw him in the hallway this morning," the former said, "he looked really lost, and sad."

"Sad?" The twins questioned together. "That's _definitely_ not Ichi."

"We saw him this morning with a woman." Tamaki mused, tapping his chin as if pondering. "She was too young to be his mother…" He left out the part that the woman was quite affectionate with Ichi, since his daughter was – unfortunately – interested in that devil.

"Maybe she was his sister." Kaoru suggested.

"They didn't look that much alike…" Tamaki countered.

"Step-siblings?" Hikaru offered.

The host club just looked around shrugging at who this woman could be.

Suddenly, "It's Ichi!" Hunny spoke up.

Everyone rushed to the window where the tiny senior was peering out. There, next to the pond, sat Ichi in a hunch. He was hiding his face, so it could only assume he was in the same mood as that morning. He then reached into his pocket to pull out his cellphone – even with the distance, it was obvious – only to put it away. A few hosts wondered who was trying to call him (if it was a call).

Then, a few girls appeared behind him. They were host club regulars, so why they were interacting with Ichi was a mystery. They got his attention, making him turn around and face them. They seemed to be worried about him, from the way they held their arms. One girl had stepped out in front of the other two, getting very close to Ichi. She touched his arm in a delicate way, and in return, she was swatted away.

From the Third Music Room, the hosts gasped, shocked Ichi was treating girls like this. Down below, the girls seemed to be in fear. He seemed to be lashing out at them. He was only yelling (probably) since he was throwing his arms out. Then he stormed away, almost shoving the one who touched him to the ground.

The notorious trio was disgusted at him, but – not to say 'I told you so' – since the beginning, they knew he was evil. They knew he was hiding something. He was just acting like a decent person to get on Haruhi's good side.

Stepping back, Tamaki saw Haruhi run out of the room. He sighed, sad that his daughter was in love with such a man. "Kyoya." He said seriously. The Shadow King turned to him. "You, Mori-senpai and Hunny-senpai go check on those girls. Hikaru, Kaoru and I will go find Ichi."

"What about–?"

"She's already gone." Tamaki cut off Hikaru quickly.

The two sophomores looked at each other and nodded, then the King's group ran out.

/~\

Haruhi didn't really know where she was going. She just ran out of the Third Music Room before even thinking. A part of her was saying this was a bad idea, due to how Ichi was acting towards those girls. Of course, the majority of her needed to see him. She cared for him, so his drastic attitude change worried her. What had caused him to be so…different?

She made it to an outside corridor and saw Ichi leaning against one of the pillars. "Senpai!" She called, rushing over to him.

He looked at her coldly, "_You_." He said, poison dripping from his words. "What do _you_ want?"

For the entire time she had known him, Ichi had been general nice, sweet, and caring towards her. Now, all of a sudden, she was afraid of him.

"S-senpai." Haruhi stuttered, "I-Is something wrong? You've b-been…"

His harsh glare was scaring her silent. "_Wrong_?" He questioned angrily. "_You're_ what's wrong!"

He pushed her against a nearby pillar, knocking some of the wind out of her. She looked into his eyes to see true anger and hatred, something she had only seen when he talked about his father. He pushed his hand against the base of her throat. He could easily choke her with one little movement. He growled lowly and gritted his teeth. Haruhi had never seen Ichi like this. Fear was running through her.

"_S-senpai_…" She muttered weakly. "_Why are you…?_"

"_You _little girl," He seethed, gripping her neck tighter, "are what's wrong. _You_ _ruined my life_." He turned away breathing in deeply. "If it weren't for _you_, my life wouldn't be a living hell!" He shoved her against the pillar again, hurting her back.

By now, tears were in her eyes. "_Ichi-senpai_…" She whimpered sadly. "_Why…_?"

"Because of _you_." He murmured darkly. He tightened his grip more so, slowly taking away her air…Until he was forcefully punched away by Hikaru.

Haruhi fell to the ground, breathing heavily to regain herself. She looked over at Ichi who was quite taken aback from the punch. She turned to Hikaru, who was holding his fist due to the pain of hitting someone – almost – square in the jar. Kaoru was quickly at her side helping her up as Tamaki approached the third year. The King stood in front of Ichi, shaking his head in shame. He turned on his heel, and helped his poor emotional and psychically hurt daughter.

Being escorted away, Haruhi turned back quickly to see her former love. Looking at him, she swore she saw him mouth sorry to her, but he quickly turned and sulked away, disappearing behind a corner.

/~\

The Third Music Room was choked with silence.

Haruhi was at a table with Hikaru and Kaoru, though she wouldn't let them comfort her. Tamaki was at the window, looking out into the distance. Kyoya was at another table, tapping at his keyboard and filling in some silence. Hunny was in front of some cake, poking it continuingly, but not eating it. Mori, who was known to be this silent, had his arms crossed, and his finger tapping his forearm.

The room was at a loss for words, what could be said without setting someone off? Hikaru's new calm demeanor was now out the window. He was obviously furious Ichi had done such a thing. Haruhi was in split between herself. One side said she shouldn't go near Ichi again, yet the other said there was something behind what he did. If anyone were so say something against the third year, Haruhi could go off, and if someone were to defend him, Hikaru would erupt.

The female host stood up suddenly, surprising the room. She took her bag, and began to leave.

"Haruhi," Kaoru said, "where are you–?"

"Class." She answered, reminding everyone it was lunch. With some eventful moments, one could have sworn it was afterschool.

The others stood up muttering goodbyes to one another and shuffled to the door. Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other quickly then rushed after Haruhi. Walking next to her, the twins looked back to Tamaki, who shrugged and shook his head, unsure of what to do about his daughter.

/~\

Haruhi sat in her apartment, still unsure.

She had been quiet throughout the rest of the day, not really participating in any conversation. The Host club had been cancelled due to this fact, and was focused on helping her, but it was futile. When had she announced she was leaving, Hikaru offered her a drive. Her reply was that she would rather walk. In turn, Hikaru said he'd walk her home. She didn't complain, so he tagged along. The walk had been brutal for him. She didn't speak a word or even look at him, which had rendering him speechless. When he had dropped her off, she muttered a weak goodbye, and he looked down at her sad, but she didn't notice.

So there she sat, in her apartment, questioning why Ichi had turned against her. The part of her that said the attack was for a higher purpose had now consumed all her thoughts. She wanted answers, badly.

She took out her cell phone – the one Hikaru and Kaoru kindly gave to her – and dialed Kyoya's number.

Instantly, "_Hello_?" He picked up.

"Kyoya-senpai." She said seriously.

"_Haruhi,_" He said, sounding a tad surprised, "_how unexpected. Do you need something_?"

"I need Ichi-senpai's number."

"…" There was silence on the other end, but she knew he was still there, deciding if he should answer her or not. "_I don't have his number_." He answered coolly.

"You're lying senpai." She said, "I know you tried calling Ichi-senpai at lunch, just before he started yelling at those girls."

"…" Again, Kyoya was silent, probably surprised Haruhi had figured this out. There was a long sigh, "_Very well Haruhi._"

He recited a number that she wrote down. She thanked him, and asked him to not reveal this conversation to Tamaki for 'obvious reasons'. Thankfully, he agreed. They said their goodbyes, and hung up.

Dialing Ichi's number, Haruhi held her thumb over the call button. Was this a good idea? What would she even say to him? 'I know you're angry with me, but I have a feeling you attack me for a greater reason'? He would probably hang up before she got half way through. Regardless, she pressed call.

It rang for what seemed a bit _too_ long, and she was about to hang up, but he answered at the last second.

"_Stop calling me_." He said weakly, surprising Haruhi. Did he know it was her? "_I did what you asked_." He continued, his voice sad and monotone. "_I broke it off with her…She won't be coming near me anymore._" She didn't know what to say, so she stayed silent. "_So just…stop calling me._" Then he hung up on her.

She stared at her phone, unsure of how to feel. On one hand, she now knew that Ichi didn't want to hurt her. On the other hand, he did what some person told him to do. Whoever he thought he was talking to on the phone was responsible for all this, but why did they want Haruhi out of the picture? What could someone have against her?

She stood up abruptly, a determined look in her eyes, but quickly sat back down. The thoughts running through her head were the similar to what the notorious trio would do. But…Ichi sounded so sad, which made her a tad sad. He was always so strong, never trying to worry her, but now he was broken down. Would he ever go back to the way he was before?

/~\

Haruhi stood in front of Ichi's apartment, slightly ashamed she had followed through with such a Host club like plan.

Surprisingly, his apartment was easy to find again. She remembered the address, and the general route they took the day they went to the aquarium. That time though, she never really got the chance to 'smell the roses'. Today, well, she took in her surroundings.

The neighbourhood was similar to her own, just on a higher scale. The houses were bigger with larger lawns. The streets were wider with no cars parked on the side. The stores were classier, more high-end then the grocery store she usually shopped at. There was a charming recreation centre with tennis and swimming. Ichi's complex was almost the centre piece of it all. It was surrounded with nice flower beds of fantastic colors. The concept of the building was similar to Haruhi's; only two floors, and rooms accessed from outside. Of course, there were a lot of differences. Hers was just a strip, but his was a square, where the inside held a pool and lounging chairs. Hers had about four rooms on one floor; doors a stone throw away. His had eight rooms a floor, but two doors a side, quite the distance from one another (understandable since the apartments were so big).

She stood there, ready to knock on the door, but she was a tad scared. Was it because the Host club wasn't there to be adventurous for her? Usually the notorious trio handled the forward cheekiness of acting out and speaking their mind. Yes, Haruhi was blunt and straightforward, but this was different. She was nervous on how Ichi would react. Would he yell? Would he hurt her? Was he even there?

In a sudden wave of courage, she knocked on the door twice, and then regretted it. She stepped back, ready to leave.

"_Go home_." Was heard through the door.

Surprised, Haruhi rushed back to where she was. "Senpai!" She called, "It's me!"

"…" There was silence, but she heard shifting. "_Go home._" He repeated.

"Senpai, just listen–" Footsteps were heard and quickly faded. He must have retreated to the back of the apartment. She sighed, leaning back on the hallway railing.

Haruhi felt defeated. How would she fix this if she couldn't talk to him? She'd ask the Host club to kidnap him – since they had such a knack for it – but they would never agree. After today, she doubted that they'd even let her say his name.

"_Who_ are _you_?" A snarky voice questioned.

Haruhi turned to see a woman in – what seemed to be – her early twenties. She was thin and a bit shorter then Hikaru and Kaoru. Her hair was blonde, but had brown roots. She had a variety of makeup on, which would have made her look pretty, if it weren't for the disapproving frown on her face. Her skirt was mini, and her tank top revealed a bit too much cleavage for Haruhi's approval.

"That uniform…" The woman mumbled. She then gasped dramatically. "You!" She yelled. "You're the girl trying to steal my Ichi-sama!"

"Wha-What?" Haruhi questioned, confused.

The woman approached angrily. "Back off you ugly little BR–!"

"Aki!" Ichi had suddenly appeared, holding the door open in shock.

"Ichi-sama!" Aki cooed, hooking onto his neck. She took his arm and slowly dragged him into the apartment.

Looking back, Ichi locked eyes with Haruhi. He gave her a sad, apologetic look, then closed the door. Immediately after, a snarky laugh rung out from inside.

Confused and saddened, Haruhi took that it was time to leave. She sulked down the stairs wondering if that woman, Aki, was the one who ordered Ichi to stay away from her. She was obviously very defensive of him, she looked like she was ready to tear Haruhi apart. Plus, she seemed quite clingy, wrapping around his neck like that…

On the outside on the apartment complex, as she was questioning what she could do next, Haruhi bumped into someone. "Sorry." She murmured, not looking up.

"Hold on…" The someone said, a guy about the same height as Ichi and Mori, only a tad shorter. "Are you…Haruhi Fujioka?"

Haruhi looked up at the guy with a mop-top of chestnut hair surprised. "How do you know my name?" She questioned.

"Your uniform." He answered, making Haruhi would if she should have changed beforehand. "Ichi talks about you a lot."

"You know Ichi-senpai?" She asked lost.

"I'm his best friend." The guy said. "Akira Soseki." He greeted, hand out.

She shook it slowly, trying to take in all this new information. "Ichi-senpai's never talked about you." She said absentmindedly.

Akira smiled sleepily. "That's Ichi for you." He chuckled, "He's a need-to-know-basis kind of guy." He looked at the apartment complex, then back to her. "So, I'm guessing you've just seen him, or are going to see him."

She sighed. "If only. He wouldn't talk to me, then some woman showed up–"

"Aki?" Akira questioned. Him saying her name was a tad confusing.

She nodded. "She was so…" Haruhi clenched her fist, offended at how Aki treated her.

"Obnoxious?" He filled in for her.

"Exactly." She sighed again. "Who is she anyway?"

Akira nodded understandingly, then patted her head. "How about I buy you some coffee?"

"Uh…sure." She agreed. He seemed nice enough, so why not?

/~\

Hikaru was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling.

He decided he hated Ichi. Before, he just disliked the third year for being so cocky and smug, but now, he truly hated the bastard. Why did Ichi attack Haruhi today? It was an important matter, but for whatever reason, Hikaru didn't care. The punch was extremely satisfying. Granted, it hurt like hell afterwards – since punching wasn't part of his lifestyle – but it was worth it.

Now that Ichi was – hopefully – out of the picture, there was no competition (Tamaki? Please.). It'll probably take a while for Haruhi to forget about him, but it didn't matter. He would be graduating soon and never return, while Hikaru and Haruhi would be together forever (Okay, maybe not forever, but a long time!).

He sighed happily, life was starting to go uphill.

Suddenly, Kyoya's ringtone echoed in the room. "Kaoru." Hikaru called, "Answer it."

Kaoru was at their desk, finishing his homework. Without putting down his pen, he answered his cell phone. "Hello?"

Hikaru zoned out, it was probably just something about the club. Themes or costumes or whatever.

But then, Kaoru gasped, making Hikaru sit up worried. "What what?" He questioned. Kaoru put his finger to his mouth, telling his brother to be quiet.

"Yeah…okay…okay, we'll meet you downstairs." He hung up. Kaoru look at Hikaru sadly.

"What?" Hikaru questioned. "What happened?"

"Haruhi's missing." Kaoru answered quietly.

"What?"

"Ranka got home early and Haruhi wasn't there. He called Kyoya-senpai and we're all get together to go find her."

Hikaru growled, "We already know where she is Kaoru." He said lowly, clenching his fist tightly.

"Why would Ichi–"

"Where else would she be?" Hikaru yelled angrily. "You know Haruhi would go after him, and obviously he's done something to her!"

Kaoru shook his head slightly. Hikaru was definitely going a bit overboard (Tamaki was probably being even more dramatic). But, some of what he said was true. Haruhi was definitely one to confront others whenever something was bothering her. Checking Ichi's place seemed inevitable.

"C'mon Hikaru," Kaoru said getting up from his chair, "we have to go meet the others downstairs."

/~\

"My poor daughter!" Tamaki cried in the limo.

The urge to hurt Tamaki was almost overpowering. Yes, they were all worried about Haruhi, but he honestly needed to learn how to shut up. They were on their way to Ichi's apartment – after his and Hikaru's constant pestering – so he needed to calm down. He was bouncing around the limo crying, yelling, crying, pushing up against the window, shaking, and more crying. It was getting on everyone's nerves.

"Tamaki." Kyoya said sternly, "Sit. Down." But it was falling onto deaf ears. "Tamaki!" He yelled. The King froze in his place scared, then slowly sat back down in his seat.

They soon arrived at the apartment complex. Hikaru and Tamaki ran out of the car up the stairs, while the rest followed slowly and calmer. The first two ran to 6B – Ichi's – and knocked on the door furiously.

"Ichi!" Tamaki yelled. "Open this door immediately!"

A few seconds passed, and the door slowly opened to a crack. Someone peered through, a gasp was heard, then the door flew open, throwing the two a tad off balance. "Tamaki?" Ichi questioned shocked. "Hikaru? What are you doing here?" He looked down the hall to seen the other four. "Why are you all here?"

"We're here for Haruhi!" Hikaru shouted, not caring that the third year could easily overpower him.

Ichi looked confused. "She's not here." He said flatly.

"See," Kaoru said approaching, thumping Hikaru in the back, "I told you she wasn't here."

Tamaki sighed in relief, but Hikaru growled annoyed. "But she's been here hasn't she?"

Ichi sighed as he pushed back his hair. "Yes, she has." The Hosts all stiffened. "But nothing happened."

Regardless of what he was saying, Hikaru was mad at him. All of their past encounters, and Hikaru's dislike for him, were resurfacing and starting to overflow. He always hated Ichi, and now that he confirmed that fact (instead of calling it 'dislike'), hearing the bastard, whether he was lying or not, was infuriating.

"Where is she?" Hikaru shouted, pushing Tamaki out of the way to get up close and personal.

"I don't know!" Ichi shouted back, probably to get his point across.

The two glared at each other, lightning passing between them. It looked like they were ready to attack each other any second. Tamaki slowly backed away, not wanting to provoke anyone. Kaoru tried to calm Hikaru down, but it was futile.

"Go away." Ichi snarled, his voice full of fury.

The red head growled and pulled back his hand ready to strike.

"Don't you dare Hikaru!"

Everyone turned to see Haruhi down the hallway with some guy they didn't know.

/~\

Akira and Haruhi sat down at the corner table in the privately owned coffee shop. He politely handed her her cup, then took a sip of his own.

For the short – very short – amount of time she had known him, she had noticed the similarities and differences between him and Ichi. For one, they both didn't mind awkward silences, or if Akira did, he wasn't showing it. They also shared a natural charm that could easily win girls over...Now that she thought about it, that was about the only thing they had in common. Their differences however, were probably more then she currently knew. Ichi was quiet, stoic, serious, antisocial, and, at times, a bit dark. Akira was talkative (for some reason with everyone but her), happy, carefree, and had a big brother charm. It made her question how the two of them were supposed 'best friends'. But then again, with Kyoya and Tamaki, this wasn't much of a stretch.

"So…" Haruhi began, attempting a conversation. "You're Ichi's 'best friend'?"

"Yup!" Akira smiled, surprisingly gleeful. "You may have met my little sister Toki."

"You're Toki's big brother?" He nodded happily. Haruhi vaguely remembered the seven year old mentioning an older sibling, but she couldn't completely recall.

Silence fell between them again. He didn't seem to mind, sipping his coffee nonchalantly. He noticed a girl about his age on the other side of the café. He stared for a while, but then looked the other way, out the window.

"…About Aki?" Haruhi said, hoping to get his attention.

"Oh right." He said, clearing his throat. "Aki – I don't know her full name – is Ichi's ex-girlfriend."

"Ex?" Haruhi question, "Then why is he–"

"Actually," Akira cut off, ignoring her past statement, "To be more specific, the girl he dated before you."

She frowned, "If they've broken up, why is he with her?"

He sighed, a sad look suddenly appearing. "She's like everyone else in Ichi's past – except for me." He cracked a proud smile, then was sad again. "He let it slip that he was rich. When she figured out she could get whatever she wanted, she refused to let him go."

Haruhi felt bad for Ichi, she never would have thought that winning the lottery could be such a bad thing. "But, that doesn't explain why Ichi-senpai's putting up with her."

Akira looked morbid, "She's blackmailing him."

Haruhi gasped as her eyes widened. "Can't he do something?" He shook his head. "But there has to be–"

He held up his hand, cutting her off. "Blackmail is hard to fight. Expose or be exposed. The blackmailer will always have something over your head."

Haruhi started to tremble out of frustration. "You're his best friend right?" She questioned angrily, "Why don't you do something?"

"There's nothing I can do. There's nothing he can do. We tried alright? But Aki is a greedy little-" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm sorry, but it's very hard."

"Why are you even telling me this?" Haruhi asked bitterly. "If it's so hopeless, why even bother?"

Akira stayed quiet. He looked out the window wearily. "Ichi really cares about you." He said seriously, "I know it may not seem like it, but he does."

"He won't even talk to me." She said sourly, "But I'm sure he _really _cares." She was laying the sarcasm on thick. Her emotions were getting the better of her, anger frustration, disappointment, not to mention a near broken heart.

Akira swore under his breath. He abruptly stood up, startlingly her. "I'm going to get another coffee, we have a lot to go over."

/~\

Her image of Ichi's past was not peaceful, but she never thought of it as horrid. Akira had painted a radical picture, one that had rendered speechless. When the story ended, a silence fell over them and he offered to walk her home. She quietly agreed.

To return to her apartment, they needed to retrace her steps. So on their way back, they walked past Ichi's complex. A familiar black limo was parked in front of it. Haruhi felt her stomach drop. She dashed into the complex leaving Akira behind confused.

"Are you taking the direct approach?" He called to her. After a few seconds, he ran after her.

Just up the stairs, she saw Hikaru pulling his hand back ready to strike. "Don't you dare Hikaru!" She yelled angrily.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki cheered, running up to her. She glared at him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Akira?" Ichi questioned. Akira, who the Host club did not know, waved sheepishly as he ascended the stairs. "What are you doing with her?" He asked bitterly.

Ichi's best friend shrugged as he motioned to Haruhi, "We were having coffee. Then, as I was taking her home, she ran here."

Everyone, besides Haruhi, seemed annoying that some stranger was practically on a date with her.

"Get. Over. Here. NOW." Ichi seethed, his hand in a fist. In turn, Akira smoothly strolled over and was pulled into a private conversation.

Meanwhile, Haruhi marched over to Hikaru, who had regrouped with the other hosts, and smacked him on the arm. "What do you think you're doing?" She questioned.

"What are you doing?" Hikaru shot back. "You keep defending him even though you've seen he's a bad person!"

She glared at him fiercely, close to slapping him. Instead of blowing her top, like she wanted to do, she turned on a heel and left.

"Haruhi," Tamaki said concerned, "Where are you…?"

"Home." She said sternly, not looking back.

"But…" The king continued trailing after her, "We can drive you back."

"I'm not getting in that car." She said coldly.

As she disappeared out of sigh, Ichi's apartment door slammed shut. The hosts stood in the complex hallway, awkwardness in the air. Hikaru stormed down the stairs to the waiting limo, Kaoru close behind. The others looked at each other, thoughts and feelings were mixing into a horrid storm. They followed the twins to the car, not saying a word.

\-/

_Ichi sat down on his couch, sighing has he pushed back his hair. Akira sat down in the lounging chair opposite him._

_He looked at his best friend, who was smiling smugly at him for some reason. He had noticed that Akira had changed, like him, only for the better._

_Before, in their prime, Akira was sweeter, caring, suave and, sometimes shy. Now he was cocky, social, and cool, but still held all his previous quality – save for the shyness._

_Was it because Ichi left? He could only imagine that was the reason. Before, when they were together, it was only the two of them. Occasionally, they would go out with others for parties and whatnot. But, since they were so busy with their jobs, it was, like he said, just the two of them. But upon leaving, it forced Akira to make friends in order to survive highschool. Was it cruel of him? To just up and leave his best friend? No, no, he didn't just 'up and leave', he had told Akira weeks before he transferred, and Akira understood, wished him the best and all that._

_So he sat there, still calming down from the Hosts and Haruhi's sudden appearance._

_He looked at his best friend again, who was still smiling smugly._

_"What?" Ichi questioned annoyed._

_"You miss me."_

_"Shut up."_

_"Aki, Akira, quite similar eh?"_

_"Shut. Up."_

_"That was the only reason wasn't it?"_

_"Are you listening to me?"_

_"It wasn't her looks, definitely not her personality."_

_"Why aren't you shutting up?"_

_"I know you hate her voice."_

_"For the love of all that is sacred, shut your goddamn mouth!"_

_"Admit it." The cocky smile was wider then ever._

_He glared at him. "I'm going to kick you out if you don't shut up."_

_"C'mon."_

_"Don't push me."_

_"You miss me Ichi."_

_"…"_

_The smile was disgustingly smug._

_"Get out."_

* * *

A/N: This is awkward...What's it been? A year, year and a half? I'll be honest, I was gonna just let this one rot, but I recently got a review, which made me go over a few more. It inspired me that so many of you wanted me to continue.

This isn't an update though, super awks. I just had to rewrite this, it was bloody killing me, but I love where it's going now. Chapter 12 will definitely be the last, and it's getting me very excited.

Ps, there might, MIGHT, be an epilogue, but it would probably be much shorter than most chapters. Just saying, but the chances are low.

xoxo -LizNinja


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